News editors: Mikael Kahrle & Johan Carlsson

Depeche Mode on tour

Dave Gahan live in Stockholm.
Photo by: Jens Krause

• Depeche Mode's new tour will be announced at a press conference in Düsseldorf on June 16.
The band is working on their new album at Sound Design in Santa Barbara and Stratosphere in New York together with Ben Hillier (Blur, Suede, Elbow, Clinic) and Dave McCracken (Goldie, All Saints, Seal, James). At least a dozen new songs are being prepared and the working titles we have so far are: "Martyr for Love", "Everything", "Sinner in Me", "Suffer Well", "Pain", "Free" and "Macro". Dave Gahan places the album stylistically between "Violator" and "Songs of Faith and Devotion". This time around the vocalist is part of the song-writing process.
A "Making of..." film is being recorded helmed by director Uwe Flade (he is known for the "Enjoy the Silence 04" and "Bottle Living" videos). Anton Corbijn is back in business and he organised a photo session earlier this year in Santa Barbara. Corbijn is impressed with what the album sounds like so far and in Q, Gahan says he is pleased and everyone is getting on really well this time around, compared to working on "Exciter" when "it all felt a bit dead".
- This time we're all pulling together a lot more, he thinks.
New York sessions await the team.
- There's only so much sunshine you can take when you're singing songs about pain and suffering, Dave laughs. /Mikael Kahrle

Skinny Puppy delivers live DVD next month

Skinny Puppy live in Toronto 2004.
Photo by: Alex Veronac (Release)

• It was confirmed through Skinny Puppy fanpage litany.net that the 2004 tour DVD is complete with some added content extras. SPV (Germany) looks to ship the long awaited Skinny Puppy 2004 tour DVD package this June. Describing the content Cevin Key types "2 disks include the complete live show with encores in 5.1 or stereo. Extras include live footage from "Too Dark Park", "Last Rights" and two documentaries. One documenting the 1988 European tour shot by the band."
The 2DVD is directed by long-time video collaborator William Morrison (FLA, Fear Factory, Ohgr, Gary Numan). The live show was mixed by Ken "Hiwatt" Marshall and the DVD sleeve design is by Steven R. Gilmore and Fodor.
The upcoming Skinny Puppy European tour this August is in promotion of the "The Greater Wrong of the Right Live" DVD, with an anchor date confirmed earlier this Spring for M'era Luna Festival in August (see On Stage).
In related News, Skinny Puppy tour drummer Justin Bennett has been quite busy onstage performing with goth icon Peter Murphy on his "Unshattered" USA tour. /Alex Veronac

Progress compiled

Necro Facility.

• Newly founded Swedish label Progress has now signed up enough artists for a compilation. "Born-Evolove-Progress" is set for the beginning of July at the price of a single. The CD offers all bands signed to the label - among these, Hype (with Robert Enforsen from Elegant Machinery), 8kHz Mono, Mr Jones Machine and Necro Facility - and two brand new signings. /Mikael Kahrle

Blue October in June
• Cryonica announces the signing of British finely tuned synthpop act Blue October. In two weeks, we can expect their new album "One Day Silver, One Day Gold". A release party is held at The Giltz/Madame Jo Jo's in London on July 21 (a little late?). /Mikael Kahrle

NIN milestones with teeth

• Trent Reznor took the end of 2004 to record Nine Inch Nails' fifth full studio record in over 16 years, "With Teeth", which finally got released worldwide earlier this month. While the album title went from "Bloodletting" to "With Teeth", some smart marketing was used to ensure it's financial viability. While many musical acts have been hit by low retail sales, NIN has entered a new strata with collector purchasing. As the project traditionally produces little new product, fans frenzy for alternate track versions with duplicate purchasing of limited edition imports.
"With Teeth" is a former #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart and this week we see single "The Hand That Feeds" atop Billboard's USA Modern Rock Singles chart. "The Hand That Feeds" has also been very popular with online retailer iTunes. You can watch the band perform that track here.
As the "With Teeth" 2005 live tour leaves America and heads back to Europe in June, we hope to watch and meet the band at the Swedish Hultsfred Festival. NIN has become one of the top acts of 2005 and garnering an interview seems left to only the most mainstream publications. Just announced are Australian and Japanese dates in August.
NIN is confirmed to do a live radio session at the BBC's London Maida Vale studios on June 7. This is the same studios that Reznor's former Nothing Records label mate Clint Mansell recorded some last tracks in the UK with project Pop Will Eat Itself back in 1994. /Alex Veronac

Images in Vogue's history shown on video
• Canadian veteran synth act Images in Vogue have made available a promo short with historical context and behind the scenes segments to coincide with the release of their newly produced video. "Look Me in the Eye" was originally released back in 1986 with the video shot in December 2004. It was the band's first video produced in 13 years and has been issued to major music content broadcasters.
The compilation "Collection Version 3.0: Evolution" is the next audio CD set for release later this year. /Alex Veronac

New title for Goldfrapp
• The new Goldfrapp album has a new title, "Supernature", but will still be released in August. The single "Ooh La La" will be out on August 8. /Mikael Kahrle

Vaccum in Athens
• Swedish pop duo Vacuum hope to reach fame and glory abroad and is scheduled to play in front of 25 000 people at the international music event EMD in Athens on June 22. The new (Internet) single "The Void", taken from their latest album, will be out on June 6, including a remix. /Mikael Kahrle

Untilted touring Autechre

• Promoting their new album "Untilted", minimalists Autechre have come to America as part of their current world tour. Having already toured Europe, the duo played the Elektra Festival 6ix in Montréal before a club date at Toronto.
We found the live set going beyond minimal into the traditional IDM format with parts sounding much like beat heavy rhythmic Squarepusher. Sheffield's Sean Booth and Rob Brown played their complex recorded sample combinations without stage show, visuals or house lights. While we were not allowed to take photos, fans can experience the show through prerecorded audio as it will be aired and webcast on Canada's CBC Radio 3 network soon. As a live act, they've proved to the untrained ear they do have a danceable repertoire with their expanded set. /Alex Veronac

Rammstein headline Metaltown
• After both SAMA and Kent's tour premiere in Gothenburg last Friday and Saturday, we can look forward to a new hot weekend in July. Rammstein will play pretty close to Release on Hisingen (Frihamnen) in Gothenburg on July 30 when they perform at this year's Metaltown fest, alongside Dark Tranquility, Apocalyptica, Beseech and Nine. This is the same area where Kent played last Friday (for an audience of 18 000 people) and Saturday (we were 12 000 who witnessed a show more impressive than the press reviews from the Friday gig stated).
U2 will visit Gothenburg's Ullevi arena (with a capacity of around 50 000) the day before Metaltown. /Mikael Kahrle