News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

Early planning for Sweden's top festival

Icon of Coil are proud to be one of the first bands to be booked for the next Arvika Festival.

• The Arvika Festival has announced its plans for 2002. The popular Nordic alternative festival will take place during July 11-13. So far, only a few acts have been booked, among them Icon of Coil and Deathstars.
Another Swedish alternative festival, Mer än hjärna in Emmaboda Rasslebygd just released its dates as well: August 8-10. /Mikael Kahrle

...and Lollapalooza is back in the US
• VH1 reports that Perry Farrell, founders William Morris Agency and former manager Ted Gardner are about to rejuvenate the US based rock fest. Lollapalooza last ran in 1997. /Alex Veronac

In Strict Confidence: sold out

• German EBM act In Strict Confidence has reason to celebrate. Their new strictly limited edition CD is sold out, even before the sales starts. The release in question is a 3" CD with the song "The Truth Inside of Me", packed in a computer disk box, produced in 1111 copies. /Jens Krause

Assemblage 23 on tour with Diary of Dreams and cut.rate.box
• Assemblage 23's new release, "Addendum", arrived just in time for the band's London show at The Garage this past weekend. A 23 is currently on a European tour with Diary of Dreams and cut.rate.box. German, Spanish, Swiss, French and Belgian dates remain, before the last gig in Düsseldorf (Stahlwerk) on December 15. /Alex Veronac

First line-up wave for SAMA includes Elegant Machinery

Elegant Machinery have been awarded for best live act in the past.

• Today, we received the first live acts for next year's Swedish Alternative Music Awards: Apoptygma Berzerk, Elegant Machinery (reunited on stage for the third time), Echo Image, XPQ-21, DDR and Deathstars.
Deathstars is unfamiliar to the majority. They are said to have similarities with Rammstein and Ministry. The debut single "Synthetic Generation" will see the light of day in December on Led Recordings/Universal. Led is also home of Yvonne and various hip hop groups. An album recorded in Gothenburg's metal melting pot Studio Fredman will follow in 2002.
Seven more bands will perform. SAMA takes place at Kåren in Gothenburg on March 30. Tickets are available on Friday.
This time, the live artist category is gone and everyone can vote for the four other categories from January 1. /Mikael Kahrle

In the mood for something slightly bizarre?
• Don't think Current 93 release new material often enough? Then maybe Flaming Fire's "Get Old and Die in Flaming Fire" is just the thing for you. This Brooklyn-based red-clad Greco-Roman quintet doesn’t settle for less than pagan and noisy, as they, in a manner of a traditional Greek choir perform some of the strangest folk-Goth on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond. Einstürzende Neubauten, beware!
"Get Old and Die in Flaming Fire" is the group's second release, the first being "Rock Rock Chicken Pox: Die Grizzly, Die!" - made in collaboration with Dame Darcy. In their live performances, Flaming Fire hand out song books, so that the audience can sing along to the less than cheery tunes. You get the idea of what kind of band I’m talking about, don't you? /Kalle Malmstedt

Skinny Puppy archives to be sold through the web

Nivek Ogre live in Germany.
Photo by: Alex Veronac

• After a successful Internet release by Download alumnus Phil Western, Cevin Key and SubCon have announced that the Download "III" EP material from 1996 will finally be released. Also, Skinny Puppy and Tear Garden sessions never released, will become available. These are the CD:s in tentative release date order:
January: Download "Inception", outtakes and jams from "Furnace" to "The Eyes of Stanley Pain". February: Skinny Puppy "Puppy Gristle", 45 minute jam with ex Throbbing Gristle mad man Genesis P Orridge from 1994, March: Download "Three Steps Forward", outtakes. April/May: Plateau "Iceolator", outtakes. June/July: Skinny Puppy "Live Braps and Outtakes from 1984-1992". August/September: Tear Garden "Eye Spy with My Little Eye", outtakes from 1988-present. October/November: Hilt "The Worst of the Flu", early recordings, very lo-fi recordings from 1985-1989.
These CD:s will be available as numbered limited editions and on a subscription (not sold in stores). They will bring industrial music fans right into the raw of early studio recordings. Artists in this collection include Dwayne Rudolph Goettel (RIP) and Hilt's Al Nelson (RIP). Many Skinny Puppy and Download fans will have a treat in February, as the first session with then "creative consultant" Genesis P Orridge spawned the first Download material and the Skinny Puppy "Process" tune "Cellar Heat" in a 45-minute jam.
2002 has the SubCon group busy with releases while the Nivek Ogre (Ohgr) troupe prepare to tackle EurAsia in early 2002. /Alex Veronac

Festival with Apoptygma Berzerk and Deine Lakaien

No Comment, heading for Gent.

• Belgian organiser The Invitation celebrates its ten year anniversary on March 1 and 2 in Gent. The line-up, just completed, features Apoptygma Berzerk, Deine Lakaien, Goethes Erben, Dive, Plastic Noise Experience, No Comment, The Eternal Afflict and several others. /Mikael Kahrle

The Jesus and Mary Chain are stirring in their grave
• Linda Reid, the sister of William and Jim Reid of The Jesus and Mary Chain is featured on a new compilation called "You Don't Need Darkness to Do What You Think Is Right". It is out now in Japan and soon to be released on the Geographic label in the UK.
Linda, using the moniker Sister Vanilla, is backed by the entire former line up of the sadly discontinued Scottish band; Jim, William and Ben Lurie. The sound is reminiscent of the Mary Chain's calmer moments. Other performers include The Pastels and Primal Scream member (and former My Bloody Valentine mastermind) Kevin Shields.
Meanwhile, Jim Reid and Ben Lurie are busy with their other band Freeheat. The EP "Don't Worry Be Happy" is available now, and another called "Retox" is due out on February 18. /Mattias Huss

Manson on his next album

• Marilyn Manson's brand new "Tainted Love" video has been featured on MTV¹s "Making The Video".
According to his post at marilynmanson.com, Mr Manson is using the talents of Tim Skold on his next project. Skold has a wide ranging CV, including has own band Skold, MDFMK, KMFDM and he has recently been seen on stage with Ohgr. Joey from Slipknot is also involved in a Manson track.
- I have been in the studio everyday writing the new album, which is very much guitar driven. Some people think when I say beat-oriented that I mean it won't be heavy, but I assure you it will. I'd like to sneak everyone a listen soon if you all behave, he says. /Alex Veronac

New Coil album details announced
• The latest bit of news in the ongoing saga of Coil's infamous Nothing Records full-length has been confirmed.
The long-awaited album "Backwards" has been given the new name '"The World Ended a Long Time Ago". Neither the band nor Nothing Records have given a release date for this album. The band make it very clear that release will be directly through Nothing and not Interscope.
Coil also goes on to state that there will in all likelihood not be a domestic reissuing for "Scatology" or "Horse Rotorvator" by Nothing. Some Bizarre's main man Stevo has prevented this from happening. Coil are free, however, to re-release "Loves Secret Domain" domestically.
Coil produce music which is quite difficult to categorise and have existed since 1983. They are primarily composed of John Balance and Peter "Sleazy" Christoperson. /Peter Marks

The future of Robert Smith

• Robert Smith of The Cure hopes to complete his delayed solo album in the near future. He has been taking a break and wants his desired guest artists to become available, rather than asking new ones.
When asked about the future of The Cure in magazine Groove, he answered:
- I don't think the "Greatest Hits" will be the last from The Cure, but you never know. With "Bloodflowers", the contract with our label expired. This means I feel more free than ever. We discuss if we are going to try other release models. Perhaps just singles, instead of albums.
He doesn't explain why and it's a strange idea considering no singles were taken off "Bloodflowers".
Smith's current favourites are Korn, Mogwai and Deftones. When fianlly asked if he ever walks around without make-up and his typical hair style, he answered:
-No! Mary would leave me if I did that. I was at the swimming bath the other day with two of my nephews and came home with straight, wet hair. She screamed. /Mikael Kahrle

13 000 have watched De/Vision and Toy on stage
• The two German synthpop bands De/Vision and Toy have ended their joined European tour. In Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria and France, more than 13 000 people saw them live. /Jens Krause

Apoptygma Berzerk aim higher

Yet another video with some serious driving in the desert involved. From the recordings for "Until the End of the World".

• Apoptygma Berzerk's forthcoming single "Until the End of the World" has been moved to February 4. The video clip, recorded in the Nevada desert, is not completed. The new album "Harmonizer" is still scheduled for February 18.
Apoptygma Berzerk are aiming higher this time. For example, they have hired a top producer, Alon Cohen. His previous work include The Cardigans, 98 Degrees and Ice-T. He has said:
- I've got enough hip hop and r'n'b gold records on my wall, now its time to move on!
The new Apop press photos are signed master photographer and video director Olaf Heine. His extensive portfolio includes Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Iggy Pop and Garbage. His web site offers many examples of his work.
Apoptygma Berzerk's "World Harmony Tour 2002" kicks off on February 12 and they are joined by Echo Image and No Comment. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Israel and USA will be visited. /Mikael Kahrle

Pre-Twice a Man band release album after 27 years

A picture from a different time. Dan Söderqvist back to the left.

• Silence has just released the second album by Älgarnas Trädgård. It's called "Delayed". And it is most certainly delayed. It was first intended for a 1974 release!
Prior to his role in (maybe) Sweden's first pure electronic band Twice a Man, Dan Söderqvist played the guitar in Älgarnas Trädgård ("Garden of the Elks" in Swedish). The band also included several other members, among them Sebastian Öberg, today in the Fleshquartet. Älgarnas Trädgård were a part of the progressive music movement and existed between 1969-76. Their debut album "Framtiden är ett svävande skepp förankrat i forntiden" was put out in 1971, rereleased on CD in 1995 and included the Moog module.
Twice a Man are still going strong and have come a long way with their new India-themed album. /Mikael Kahrle

Aaron Sutcliffe's Presley cover album completed
• The Elvis-goes-electronic project Aaron Sutcliffe is close to launch, since the delayed album "Last Train to Salinas" is now completed. It has a preliminary release date, January 28. Their label SubSpace Communications talk about an excellent, quite varied, club-oriented sound, not similar to sound of the debut EP that is. /Mikael Kahrle

Prepare for more Pain

• Swedish producer and Hypocrisy member Peter Tägtgren is back with his third Pain album with dark techno-metal. Peter released the first Pain-album on Nuclear Blast in 1996. In 1999, the second, and breakthrough, record "Rebirth" was released on Stockholm Records. January will see the release of "Nothing Remains the Same", an album of more organic sound than the two first. A taster is already aired in the form of video and single "Shut Your Mouth" (see review).
Peter Tägtgren has produced over a hundred records throughout his career (Dimmu Borgir, Immortal and Destruction, among others). He was picked as one of the three most important producers in the world by German magazine Rock Hard. He works from his own studio, named The Abyss, which is actually a remodelled mental hospital near Ludvika in Dalarna, Sweden. With death metal act Hypocrisy, where he sings and plays the guitar, he has released seven albums. /Kalle Malmstedt

Five more to go for Garbage
• Garbage have confirmed they will do five further gigs with U2 in USA. Atlanta and Miami are cities that can expect a show in the end of this month. /Mikael Kahrle

First listen to the new Tiamat

• Swedish Tiamat are back on track. In February next year they are going to release their new album "Judas Christ". A single will precede the album in January. When Release met the band in Copenhagen, where they currently are mastering their new music, they disclosed that the title of the single probably will be "Vote for Love".
"Vote for Love" was also one of the tracks we got to a preview of and the overall impression is that the record will sound terrific. Think The Sisters of Mercy, "Wildhoney" and fast paced hard rock, and the picture should be quite clear.
Look out for a Spotlight. /Kalle Malmstedt

Massive Attack's new album underway
• Massive Attack, nowadays a duo, say 10-15 new songs are working fine for their follow-up to 1998's "Mezzanine". They estimate recordings will be completed early 2002. Mixing will start in December. /Mikael Kahrle

Swedish synthpop trio Loveless gets a contract
• Loveless is the name of a Swedish group making hard electronic pop that was formed in 1994 by three blokes called Mikael Askernäs, Jan-Erik Saarinen and Fredrik Svensson. They have just been signed by the Canadian label Kinetic Response. The label will release the band's debut album "Hello World" in February 2002. The album is still being worked on as we speak and will be produced by the band itself. /Johan Carlsson

Schwein still big in Japan

• We have previously reported about the Japanese-based project Schwein, with members from KMFDM, Pig and the Japanese band Buck-tick. In Japan, television commercials have been seen, promoting their album "Schweinstein". A well produced music video clip to their single "You're My Disease" have been aired as well. In late September a remix album, "Son of Schweinstein" was released, featuring remixes of the songs from the debut album by Charlie Clouser (NIN), Ken Iishii and Pig, to mention a few. The CD also includes the above mentioned video. Release has seen the album fronted in major Tokyo record stores such as Virgin and Tower Records, alongside Japanese mainstream artists. It is still unknown to us when, and if, these albums will be available in Europe and or USA, but we will keep you updated. /Peter Takizawa

The Mission tour Germany
• The Mission, who are back with the new album "Aura", will tour Germany in January and February. They start in Frankfurt on January 28 and stop in Munich on February 9. Look out for more dates. /Mikael Kahrle