News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

Breaking News: Successor to Virtual X-Mas festival
• For many years, the venue Mejeriet in Lund, Sweden hosted the annual Virtual X-Mas festival. Now, after it is dead and buried a new festival sees the light of day, this December 21.
electriXmas will offer one major foreign band, one Memento Materia act, one from Nangijala Records and two or three others. The event is a joined venture by the mentioned labels as well as Neostalgia and Vogon Variety.
We don't want to leak any live act names yet, since no bookings are confirmed.
- We want to release all the bands at once and they are not 100% definite as of now, Steve Nilsson of Nangijala Records tells us. /Mikael Kahrle

MTV awards to Kent, Moby and Röyksopp

Kent.

• Yesterday's MTV Europe Awards in Barcelona gave Kent the award for best Nordic act, but they were not present to receive the award. Best French act: Indochine. Moby proudly grabbed the web award and his tour partners Röyksopp's "Remind Me" has the best video. Depeche Mode didn't win nor the live act, neither, obviously, the web award. /Mikael Kahrle

Rolling Stone advertises against the music industry
• Legendary music magazine Rolling Stone attacks the music industry's position regarding Internet and file sharing. Check out this odd New York Times ad. /Mikael Kahrle

Play with Covenant

• Kirsty Tallon in United Kingdom has found new use for her old Action Man and Ken dolls. She started out with Action Man dolls, but they are "too muscular". Kristy then sawed off their heads, gave them some "plastic surgery" and placed them on Ken's body. Some more work - and she had built herself a future pop band!
In the next edition, Kirsty Tallon and Release are proud to present: "Wayne Hussey - the Toilet Roll Guard". /Mikael Kahrle (found by Alex Veronac)

A Haunted Winter for Replicas festival on Sunday
• Chicago, USA hosts a one night (originally two night) electro industrial festival this Sunday, November 17. The Lakeview Links is the (new, changed) venue for Cenobita, Cut.Rate.Box, In Strict Confidence, Decoded Feedback, Assemblage 23, Grendel and Cruciform Injection. /Alex Veronac

Nitzer Ebb back - but only on DVD
• Unbelievable but true, Nitzer Ebb are back, at least in Germany - where a live DVD is in rotation. The disc contains the live gig at the legendary "5 Years Celebration Party of the Dorian Gray/Frankfurt am Main" from December 17, 1998. The video is a semi-official release for Mute Germany and the Techno Club crew, and the quality is quite high. The DVD has a running time of 70 minutes. /Jens Krause

Hocico on their first US tour


Hocico live in Toronto.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• Mexican body duo Hocico are currently on their first ever US tour supporting label mates Haujobb. Their last release "Signos de Aberracion" came out on Metropolis Records in September. Hocico's earlier eight track EP "El Dia de la Ira" will be re-released soon on the German label Out of Line. 2003 marks the 10th anniversary for Hocico and vocalist Erk promises some surprises for their fans. /Alex Veronac

New compilation out on German electro label
• East German electro label Wycombe Music has just released a new CD compilation. Wycombe Music is based in Rostock and now releases their second compilation under the name "Chipyard 2002 - Remixes". The disc features local electronic bands and all songs are exclusive to this compilation. Bands included are Uni.Versal, Hioctan, Relaystation, High Wycombe, Zeitsprung and many more. /Jens Krause

New Ministry studio release date set



• Ministry are on their way back with a follow-up to "Dark Side of the Spoon" from 1999. The band has completed their "Animositisomina" recording sessions. Sanctuary Records (Germany) has confirmed the release date to be February 17, 2003 through Mayan Records. The CD comes two weeks earlier to the US market, on February 4.
The ten track heavy industrial rock full-length CD includes a cover of Magazine's "The Light Pours Out of Me", which Ministry has been known to play back when Skinny Puppy's Nivek Ogre helped on vocals on tour. Some songs might please "Psalm 69" fans.
The band is expected to begin touring early next year as an eight piece.
In related news, MTV recently reported that Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen married girlfriend Angelina Lukacin in late September while in Memphis, USA. /Alex Veronac

Is The Eternal Afflict back?
• After playing a successful concert at Moritzbastei in Leipzig, with five new songs, old darkwavers The Eternal Afflict now seems set to return. They already are in negotiations for another show in early 2003. It’s not really certain that the band is on its way back, but the newly opened web page seems to indicate this is the case. /Johan Carlsson

Re-release of "Robotiko Rejecto"
• Zyx Records in Germany will release the old electro classic "Robotiko Rejekto" by Robotiko Rejekto in new and unreleased remixes. This new release will be available both as CD and limited DJ vinyl. The CDM contains six different mixes; four new ones, a retro mix and the “Presentation” mix from 1993. /Jens Krause

Melotron plays special Christmas concert
• The German synthpop band Melotron will play a special Christmas gig in their hometown Neubrandenburg. The show is at a Depeche Mode party on December 26, and Melotron will take some special guests with them. The DJ is DJ Dirk, known from DM parties in Hamburg. /Jens Krause

First bands booked for Wave Gotik Treffen
• The first bands announced for Wave Gotik Treffen 2003 in Leipzig include VNV Nation, Tiamat, Blutengel and Placebo Effect (exclusive reunion show). The official ticket sale for the starts at December 6. /Alex Veronac

Images in Vogue reunite and plan CD


Images In Vogue on stage again.
Photo by Alex Veronac (Release)

• Vancouver's Images in Vogue has finally played together for the first time in over ten years, in Toronto.
Their encore brought back memories of the early synth era when they played "For Germans" by just the three keyboardists. The band was popular in dance clubs in USA and UK in the mid 1980's and never really broke up as they've worked on new material lately.
They will have a new release, "Collection 2: Chronology", featuring rarities and mixes to be released independently early in 2003. Images in Vogue hope to play some more live dates in Summer 2003.
See an earlier Images in Vogue report from Release here. /Alex Veronac

De/Vision soon back with a new album
• De/Vision will soon return with a new release on Drakkar Records. The release date for their new album called “(D)evolution” is January 6. The band has produced the album in Berlin together with their new collaborator Josef Bach. /Jens Krause

Catching up with Front 242

Richard 23 live in Stockholm last Saturday.
Photo by: Jens Krause (Release)

• Front 242 plan to release an EP in February followed by an album two months later. The band is currently working in their Art & Strategy Studio in Belgium. Music mastermind Patrick Codenys is also producing material for the project Gaiden. Front 242 have signed a deal with former partner XIII Bis Records in France.
Last weekend, I saw Front 242 perform at Stockholm's Tintitus Festival and they played new tracks and a cover version of "Tainted Love".
The DVD with music from the Front 242 side project Speed Tribe has won two DVD awards in Milano and Los Angeles. /Jens Krause

Marilyn Manson on and off stage
• We received the Marilyn Manson DVD "Guns God & Government World Tour" today and it is scheduled for a November 18 release. A review is being made as we speak. We get to see live footage, interviews, signings and a 30 minute backstage film called "The Death Parade". The DVD is shot in USA, Japan, Europe and Russia. Running time is 107 minutes and the sound is in stereo and surround.
A smiling Manson appeared on Jay Leno the other day, talking about his girlfriend's Playboy frontpage, his charming teeth and his haunted house. /Mikael Kahrle

Record deal and recordings on DAF:s agenda
• Gabi Delgado - and his old band mate Robert Görl - are currently completing the final mix for the forthcoming DAF album. They have signed a record deal with the German company Superstar Recordings/Universal. The first single is planned for January (but before that a limited DJ vinyl promo of the track will be released). The new album called "15 neue DAF-Lieder" (15 new DAF-songs) and is scheduled fot April or May. After the release, the band hope for a European tour. /Jens Krause

Alien Sex Fiend post snips of new tracks
• The official Alien Sex Fiend site reports that Nik and Mrs Fiend have put up a sample of a new track entitled "Burn". It is taken from their forthcoming album "Information Overload". Nik states:
- This is to prove to all the fans that we ain't gone soft, we ain't gone pub rock and that we're still really fucking angry.
No release date has been determined as of yet but one can be assured that 13th Moon, the band's own label will be releasing it. /Peter Marks

Re-wind time in Belgium
• The Belgian Independent Music event will take place on December 28 in Hof Ter Lo, Antwerp, Belgium. Vintage acts scheduled to appear (and perhaps get dusted off as well) are: A Split Second, Vomito Negro and The Neon Judgement. Others also on the bill: Suicide Commando, Dive and a host of others. An aftershow performance by Monolith is also on the cards. /Peter Marks

The Cure performs three albums in Berlin

• Robert Smith and his band of merry men will make two appearances at the Tempodrome in Berlin, Germany on November 11 and 12. These The Cure shows are being called the trilogy shows as the set list will encompass first the "Pornography" album in it's entirety followed by the "Disintegration" album in it's entirety and concluded with the "Bloodflowers" album - in it's entirety. A twenty minute intermission between albums is confirmed and there are no opening bands on either night. With any luck, these shows will be released as a live album at some point. Two other shows by the band are planned and then it is back into the studio to work on the next Cure album. Some things never change. /Peter Marks

Kitty-yo distributed by Playground
• German label Kitty-yo's Scandinavian activities will be handled by Playground Music in the future. /Mikael Kahrle

The Mist of Avalon rises
• Swedish dark-rockers The Mist of Avalon have recently gone into the studio to record their third album. Dug Out Studios will be the site of these recordings; Daniel Bergstrand and Örjan Örnkloo will oversee the production duties. No name has been set for the album and there is no label backing it. A release date remains unknown. /Peter Marks

Fading Colours break their silence
• The highly anticipated new album by Poland's leading darkwavers Fading Colours is entitled "Come" and will be out later this fall according to statements by the band. In other news, the band has put the finishing touches on a retrospective disc which spans their entire career and includes material from their days as Bruno the Questionable. All of Fading Colours albums will be re-released before the end of this year, completely remastered. /Peter Marks

Covenant copy protection dropped after fiasco

Eskil Simonsson is angry. The fans are angry. But now, it seems the issue will be resolved.
Photo by: Kasskara

• Lately, the guestbook at Covenant's official web page has been the most obvious example of the heavy criticism against the copy protection on Covenant's latest album "Northern Light". The guestbook has been filled to the brim with angry and sometimes rude fans saying they can't play "Northern Light" on their PC or in their car. Some people can't even play it in their regular CD players.
All this has lead the band to issue a brand new statement on the page, saying that they were assured by the record company that the CD would work in all regular players. They apologize for what has happened and claims that all reprints and coming releases will not have the protection scheme. The US edition of "Northern Light", to be released later, will not have it either. This means Sony backs from its position.
All this adds fuel to the debate if copy protection is the right way to go in the record labels' battle against piracy. If the companies search the blessing of record buyers, obviously the systems must work, to start with. /Johan Carlsson

Tinitus Festival with Front 242 on Saturday
• Covenant, Front 242, Melotron and others will play at the Tinitus Festival in Stockholm this Saturday. The tickets are sold-out. I will cover the event for Release. /Johan Carlsson

Erasure pays tribute to the King, Buddy Holly and The Buggles
• We have the complete track list for Erasure's new cover album "Other People's Songs" (including the artist who recorded the original):
"Solsbury Hill" (Peter Gabriel), "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" (The Korgis), "Make Me Smile (Come up and See Me)" (Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel), "Everyday" (Buddy Holly), "When Will I See You Again" (The Three Degrees), "Walking in the Rain" (The Ronettes), "True Love Ways" (Buddy Holly), "Ebb Tide" (The Righteous Brothers), "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Elvis Presley), "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (The Righteous Brothers), "Goodnight" (Cliff Eberhardt) and "Video Killed the Radio Star" (The Buggles). /Johan Carlsson

The smell of remixers

Photo by: Anna Kallberg

• After the successful release of "The Smell of Rain" it's now time for Mortiis album to get remixed. Acts such as Lustmord, Raven Fox and Tarmvred will take care of the business, and Earache is releasing it. /Johan Carlsson