Last month, the Norwegian Blackjazz outfit Shining surprised the ever growing international jazz-metal scene by taking home the fabled “A-ha Grant”, after first shocking the living shit out of the audience of 80’000 people and about 1 million tv-viewers.
Even more shocking was the fact that A-ha, the most successful pop act every to come out of Norway (remember “Take On Me”?), themselves chose Shining as their favorite band. In addition to giving Shining 1 million Norwegian Kroner, A-ha have even invited them to open up for them on their big Farewell Arena Concert on Aug 21st in Oslo, Norway.
This famed performance of their single “The Madness and the Damage Done” is now finally available on YouTube. See what happened when Shining won 150’000 USD here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M3YK4YMpA0
Shining’s Jørgen Munkeby comments on this special event, including being denied the opportunity to perform live: ” Due to extreme time restrictions from the TV station, we were denied playing live. We argued until our heads almost fell off, to no avail. But since we play live shows all the time, this was actually a very fun thing for us to do! Then we could instead concentrate on what we were going to have for breakfast the next morning.”
Indie Recordings, Shining
Norwegian psychedelic post-black metal band Enslaved will release its new album, “Axioma Ethica Odini”, in Europe on September 27 and in North America on September 28. The CD’s cover artwork was created by the Norwegian artist Truls Espedal, who has painted every Enslaved album cover since 2001′s “Monumension”.
“Axioma Ethica Odini” track listing:
01. Ethica Odini
02. Raidho
03. Waruun
04. The Beacon
05. Axioma
06. Giants
07. Singular
08. Night Sight
09. Lightening
“Axioma Ethica Odini” will be made available as a special edition in gatefold seven-inch format with the entire album on CD and a seven-inch vinyl single as a bonus, as well as a regular jewel case and double vinyl. The bonus seven-inch single will include new recordings of the songs “Jotunblod” and “Migration”.
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Enslaved, Indie Recordings
‘Blood O.D.’, a brand new song from the reunited Swedish death/thrash metal act The Crown, is available for streaming on the band’s MySpace page. The track comes off the group’s new album, ”Doomsday King”, which is scheduled for release on September 27 via Century Media Records.
The band was founded in 1990 in Trollhättan under the name Crown Of Thorns but was forced to change their name to The Crown in 1998 due to a band from the US using that name.
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Petting Zoo favorites, The Crown
Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie releases his first solo album in five years. It’s titled Static Impulse, and will be put out by InsideOut Music on September 27. Mixed by Jens Bogren, it features Marco Sfogli (guitar), Matt Guillory (keyboards), bassist Ray Riendeau (Halford) and drummer/vocalist Peter Wildoer (Darkane).
Says LaBrie: “This is modern metal and as heavy and relevant as any other band out there going in a similar musical direction. There are riffs that will blow your head off and melodies both musically and vocally that are hypnotic”. Find out more at www.jameslabrie.com
InsideOut Music, James LaBrie
Manchester’s Oceansize have made the 1st track available off their upcoming album ”Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up“. Just head over to www.superballmusic.com/specials/oceansize to download an MP3 of “Superimposer” as well as a personal message from the band. The only thing you need to do is posting that you downloaded the track via facebook or twitter.
The new album is scheduled for September 3rd in GAS, for September 6th in Europe and North America for September 14th 2010. The band will tour Europe in support of “Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up” between mid September to mid November 2010, so please make sure to check the band’s or SuperBall Records’ websites for frequent updates: www.myspace.com/oceansizeuk & www.facebook.com/oceansizeuk
Oceansize, Superball Music
PAIN OF SALVATION ‘The Road Salt Tour One’ tourdates:
15.10. DE – Hamburg @ Markthalle
16.10. DE – Bochum @ Zeche
17.10. NL – Uden @ De Pul
18.10. DE – Aschaffenburg @ Colos-Saal
20.10. FR – Paris @ La Scene bastille
21.10. CH – Pratteln @ Z7
22.10. IT – Milan @ Magazzini
24.10. HU – Budapest @ A38
25.10. SVK – Bratislava @ Majestic
26.10. CZ – Prague @ Futurum
28.10. NL – Zoetermeer @ De Boerderij
29.10. BE – Louvain-La-Neuve @ La ferme du Biereau
30.10. DE – Andernach @ JUZ Live Club
Festivals:
27.08.2010: Metal Hammer Festival, Katowice, Polen
28.08.2010: Close To Home Festival, Borås, Zweden
InsideOut Music, Pain Of Salvation
The title for the new album by Norway’s highly renowned extreme metal band Enslaved was announced on the band’s MySpace page today. “Axioma Ethica Odini” will be released in Europe September 27, and North America September 28.
This eleventh studio album was recorded at three different studios in Bergen, Norway: 1) Duper; 2) Earshot (belonging to Enslaved members Herbrand Larsen [keyboardist/backing vocalist] and Ice Dale [lead guitarist]); and 3) Peersonal Sound (owned by rhythm guitarist/songwriter Ivar Bjørnson). It is the follow-up to 2008’s “Vertebrae”. In their native country, Norway, “Vertebrae” entered the official charts at #20 and earned Enslaved their third consecutive Spellemannpris (The Norwegian equivalent to the Grammy Awards).
Enslaved will embark on a 7-show “Circling Above and Within Tour” of Europe beginning October 15.
Enslaved, Indie Recordings
Again there are some great shows coming up in Tilburg, The Netherlands. This friday Steve von Till and Harvestman play at the Bat Cave (club at the 013 venue), in August Slapshot and the mighty Nine Pound Hammer visit the 013 venue in Tilburg. Go check them out!

Nine Pound Hammer, Petting Zoo favorites, Slapshot, Steve von Till
Sweden’s Spiritual Beggars finally return to the spotlight with their first new studio album in five years, “Return To Zero”. Once again, the ‘Beggars effortlessly manage to confirm they are a band that continues to defy musical boundaries and that delivers classic heavy rock at its very best!
The artwork of the upcoming album is done by the well known Brazilian artist Gustavo Sazes. On the Spiritual Beggars myspace page the band uploaded a short audio sample of the new album as a pre-listening teaser. For more information please check the bands myspace profile as well as their Twitter account.
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InsideOut Music, Spiritual Beggars
Superball Music are pleased to announce the imminent release of a new studio album from Oceansize, “Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up”. It is scheduled for September 3rd in GAS, for September 6th in Europe and North America for September 14th 2010. Click the cover for a bigger pic. www.myspace.com/oceansizeuk
One of the UK’s true innovators, Oceansize have carved a unique place for themselves in the music scene. Previous albums “Effloresce, “Everyone Into Position” and “Frames”, recent DVD “Feed To Feed” and a series of EP’s have been hugely critically acclaimed. This acclaim, in part recognition that Oceansize look to do things differently to the mainstream. Oceansize are a hugely accomplished live act – supporting acts as diverse as Porcupine Tree, Coheed & Cambria, Smashing Pumpkins and Biffy Clyro in addition to sold out headline shows.
Oceansize, Superball Music