News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

And One album release moved to the summer
• Have you been looking for the new And One album? The German branch of Virgin has decided to change the release date of “Aggressor” from April to June 30. /Jens Krause

Confirmed details on the new Nitzer Ebb release
• Playground Music/Mute has confirmed to us the forthcoming Nitzer Ebb compilation is called "Body of Work 84-97". It will contain one greatest hits CD, one remix CD and one DVD with videos. It remains to be seen if this release mark a comeback attempt or if it's just a very delayed best of. /Mikael Kahrle

Vinyl edition and new single from DAF


Dressed in black again.

• Superstar Recordings/Universal is set to release a special vinyl edition of the new DAF album “15 neue DAF Lieder”. This edition is a special limited edition of 1 000 copies and is a double vinyl album for all you collectors out there. The next DAF single from the album is the song "Liebeszimmer”, and includes a Rammstein mix of the title track. /Jens Krause

Radiohead sounds leaked on the web
• The 14-track Radiohead record “Hail to the Thief” is to be released on June 9, as previously reported. The title of the record has to do with protesters' signs during the last USA presidential election debacle. In late March an earlier recorded version of the LP made it's way to the web. Band members Jonny and Colin Greenwood both made statements that they were unhappy that unmastered versions of an unfinished product were leaked. An investigation is being launched by their record label Parlophone to catch the thieves. Could this just be a falsity to promote the new record since the quality sound good?
Radiohead is touring Ireland and the UK first in the second half of May. Festival gigs planned for the summer. The first single "There, There " is to be released on May 26.
Catch earlier Radiohead news from Release here. /Alex Veronac

Some new tidbits about Front Line Assembly

The real Leeb.

• As we have reported earlier, Rhys Fulber is now back in Front Line Assembly again, and is working with Bill Leeb on the final (?) album. He says they want it to sound special, and describes it (on the Conjure One forum) as dark and futuristic with both uptempo and downtempo tracks. He goes on to say that it will sound as nothing ever released under the FLA flag.
Meanwhile, Rhys has worked on a track together with Sarah Brightman (!) and produced a cover of A Flock of Seagulls "I Ran" with a Texas punk band called Bowling for Soup. After the new FLA album is finished, it's time for Rhys to get started on the next Conjure One album. The next single from the current album will be "Center of the Sun", with remixes by Junkie XL, Solar Stone and Pete Lorimer. Does Rhys ever get some sleep? /Johan Carlsson

Hard EBM on new Laibach album
• A five track press sampler from Laibach's new album "WAT" (release date tba) surprised us by flirting shamelessly with EBM in some parts and DAF (in the "Der Mussolini" lookalike "Tanz mit Laibach"). In the days of electroclash Laibach sound more electronic and cold, fusioned with the trademark vocals, choirs and bombastic symphonic elements. /Mikael Kahrle

"Mission Impossible" for Agency-X
• The transcontinental duo of Agency-X has completed work on their debut album. The duo consists of Lars Walldén (former vocalist of Swedish synthpoppers Avant Garde) and American David Mahr. The album, entitled "Mission Impossible", will see release on May 20. The first single from Agency-X, "Don't Hold Your Breath", was released last November. /Niklas Forsberg

Pre-Sonic Havoc party

- Scheisse! We told you: no face cammo today, we scare the synthiepop girls, ja?

• There will be a big party on May 9, the day before Stockholm EBM and noise fest Sonic Havoc. It will be held on a boat called La Vieille Montagne, located at Söder Mälarstrand 14, Stockholm. Dupont and Run Level Zero will perform live and DJ:s IMTP, Rauz, Godspeed and Wallfält takes turns spinning records.
The actual festival that we have told you about before takes place on May 10 at Stockholm University and features the bands Funker Vogt, Haujobb, Beborn Beton, Interlace, Decoded Feedback, Synapscape, This Morn’ Omina and Empusae. /Johan Carlsson

Coil's "Live Three" emerges; festival details come to light
• "Live Three" is the latest in the four disc series of live Coil albums which are planned for 2003. "Live Four" was released a few weeks ago. Both discs are available via World Serpent. Coil's live schedule for the spring and summer currently is as follows: April 6 at All Tomorrows Parties in East Sussex, UK which will be curated by Autechre. May 29 will see Coil at Mutek 2003 in Montreal, Canada, June 21 they will be appearing at Casa da Musica Festival in Porto, Portugal and then it's back to the UK for the Supersonic Festival on July 12 in Birmingham. /Peter Marks

Norwegian electro debut



• The flow of new electro bands from Norway continues. The Norwegian label Angel Productions has announced the debut album of fellow countrymen Panzerveps. The album is entitled "Bastardlove" and the music is described as industrial pop. In addition to being Panzerveps debut album, it is also the first full-length release by Angel Productions who in addition to releasing music also works with arranging concerts and happenings for the electro scene locally. /Peter Takizawa

Turkish synthpop, anyone?
• The first synthpop project to come out of Turkey may very well be Atonall. Correct me if I'm wrong. The Istanbul project has been active for many years and have had a few tracks on compilations earlier (from Synthphony, A Different Drum etc), but now the album called "Ancient Melodies" has just been re-released by Ora Music. An EP called "Big Time Bomb" is out now. Atonall is currently working on the new album, "Waiting for That Day". /Niklas Forsberg

Zombie's 1977 trip



• Horror schlock rock demon Rob Zombie is ghoulishly happy that his recent film "House of 1 000 Corpses" is in wide USA theatre release on April 11. The much delayed flick set in 1977 features a duet with Zombie and former Commodores' singer Lionel Richie doing their r'n'b standard "Brick House". "Brick House 2003" was played live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno late night talk show on April 1. The 1977 cover can be listened to here along with other new Zombie songs from the soundtrack CD.
Catch previous Zombie news here at Release. /Alex Veronac

Massive Attack visits Quart
• The Norwegian festival Quart recently made official that Massive Attack will play there. The festival starts on July 1 and ends on July 5. Other bands playing are Zwan, Queens of the Stoneage, The Raveonettes, The Cardigans, Röyksopp and more. /Johan Carlsson

Australians Static Icon at it again
• It's been six years since we last heard from Australians Static Icon. They are back at it now, however, with an album with the working title "Metropolis Mind Funk" due out later in the year. The band will pick from 14 completed tracks. Demo versions of a few songs are made available at their web site. /Niklas Forsberg

Spetsnaz starts plotting
• The Swedish body band Spetsnaz is soon ready to unleash their debut album to the unsuspecting public. SubSpace Communications is the label (as previously reported), the title is “Grand Design” and the date is April 28.
A release party will be held in Örebro, Sweden, at the club Contan. In addition to Spetsnaz, the Swedish band Run Level Zero will play, as well as the Germans in Proceed. This event takes place on May 3. /Johan Carlsson

The SAMA winners

Melody Club. Winners? Yes. Alternative? Perhaps.

• Here are the winners of the Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards, presented yesterday in Gothenburg: Melody Club (newcomer), Melody Club: "Electric" (song), Covenant: "Northern Light" (album) and Apoptygma Berzerk (artist). The sold-out and crowded event was a success with appreciated performances by among others Welle:Erdball, Client and VNV Nation. Stand by for a report. /Mikael Kahrle

Ministry and DAF to Arvika
• At SAMA, the Arvika Festival announced some new names to this year's line-up. Ministry was the big bang. DAF, Mesh, Kamera, System 7, Kamera, Colony 5, Tyskarna från Lund, Interlace and several others are also expected to show up. /Mikael Kahrle

SAMA has never been more popular

Two Clients trying to find their way in to SAMA.

• On Saturday, the sixth SAMA (this year it stands for Scandinavian Alternative Music Awards) will be held in Gothenburg at a new venue, Vågen/Folkets hus. Although this new site is bigger than the last one, all 1 600 tickets were sold out earlier than previous years - eleven weeks prior to the event. Four award winners will be presented and twelve live acts will perform during the night, among them Client, Covenant, VNV Nation and Andreas Tilliander. Tonight, a huge "pre-SAMA" party is held at Trädgår'n.
Release will of course attend both nights and the SAMA winners can be found at our site later this weekend followed by an On Stage report. /Mikael Kahrle

Live shows, single and album from In Strict Confidence
• Dennis Ostermann and his band of merry men have some gigs in the pipeline for the summer festival circuit awaiting confirmation and in addition to this, the band has composed some new songs and begun preparations for the new album. The end of September 2003 should see the release of a new single with the album slated for a January 2004 release. /Peter Marks

Original Duran Duran back after 16 years


Here's what Duran Duran look like now.
Photo by: Richard Haughton

• As we reported way back in 2001, the original members of Duran Duran are working on a new album tohether. After 16 years apart, it’s time again for Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor to release a new album and go on a world tour, in these times of celebration for eighties music. No dates have been given yet.
To coincide with the reunion, EMI Records has decided to make the first ever Duran Duran singles box, with 13 CD:s concentrating on the early years up to 1985 when Roger and Andy Taylor decided to leave. /Johan Carlsson

VNV Nation on their own
• After leaving Dependent, Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson - perhaps better known as VNV Nation - have decided to start their own label. The newly founded one is called Anachron Sounds, and it’s been taken care of by the band and their manager Kai Lotze. The decision has been made to make sure the band's vision and integrity remains untouched.
The first releases on the new label are “Honour:2003” and “PastPerfect”. The first is an EP that will be out on June 10, with a remake of the old track “Honour” together with two live pieces and a new song. The latter is the double DVD we have reported about earlier. /Johan Carlsson

German EBM something for Canadians?
• After completing a quick European tour in February, Funker Vogt are coming to Canada. Summer 2003 tour cities listed so far are: Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Montréal in early July. At this point there are no US dates. /Alex Veronac

New American electro band


Digital Geist live in Toronto 2003.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• Digital Geist (US) played an event billed as Tyranny in Toronto recently, making their international debut. Digital Geist's fastened electrobeats were served by the solo artist with live collaborator Newt. Having completed a remix for Neotek for the re-release of their album "Brain over Muscle" on Parisian label XIII Bis Records (also home of Front 242), Digital Geist is looking to do a 5.1 mix of their own material soon. Upcoming appearances will be with touring acts Assemblage 23, Flesh Field and DJ QRT. /Alex Veronac