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.”

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Amazing news! Shining has been nominated for the A-ha Grant of 1 million NOK! (This sum equals 150’000 USD / 125’000 EUR.) The band is one of two bands that will receive the award – if they get enough votes from you!

The voting starts Tuesday 15th June, and lasts until Friday 18th June 20:30 CET. Detailed info on how and where to vote to be posted at www.shining.no shortly. And as Jørgen Munkeby says himself: “If there was one time we needed your vote, it is now.”

Munkeby comments, in an upcoming voting propaganda video, to be posted on Shining sites shortly: “The fact that Shining has been nominated for a huge grant by A-ha, the most successful pop act ever to come out of Norway, reminds us of the fact that it is possible to make jazz catchy, and that metal is no longer reserved only for people with big shoes, leather pants, and frizzy hair.”

As a part of the Grant, Shining will perform their single “The Madness and the Damage Done” for an audience of 100’000 people at the City Hall Square in Oslo, Norway, June 18th. This show will also be broadcast for 1 million TV viewers in Norway, one quarter of the whole Norwegian population.

Read more…

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11 days ago, Shining (from Norway) and Enslaved performed at the Roadburn Festival the last ever performance of their “Armageddon Concerto”, conceived, composed and performed with their fellow Norwegian explorers Enslaved.

Shining now release the opening movement ‘RMGDN’ as a download on all major digital stores worldwide (iTunes, eMusic, Amazon etc.).

The track ‘RMGDN’ is the 13 minutes long opener for the Concerto, and was recorded by Shining along with the rest of “Blackjazz”. It was of course also mixed by the eminent Sean Beavan and mastered by the impeccable Tom Baker.

‘RMGDN”’ has only been available as a very special bonus track on a limited amount of vinyl “Blackjazz” records, and is now available as download for the first time.

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Here are screenshots (click for direct links) of the latest e-cards Indie Recordings made available for their new releases. Included are e-cards for Audrey Horne, Borknagar and Shining. The Shining e-card was already posted before, but as they’re still going strong everywhere we thought we’d remind you. Spread the word!

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We just received this review of Shining as ’100 bands you need to know in 2010′ in the new issue of Alternative Press magazine (USA). Very cool! Check it out, click the pic for a bigger picture.

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Nice one – Check out the brand new Shining video for ‘The Madness and the Damage Done’ of their latest album “Blackjazz”.

The video is available on Youtube, Vimeo and on the Shining myspace page – or watch it below!

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See below, and feel free to use them! All banners below link directly to the artist website.

For more info visit the Indie Recording’s myspace page.

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As you all may have noticed, the line-up for the Roadburn Festival 2010 has been shaping up nicely.  In addition to the bands previously announced, they are very happy to announce Jex Thoth, Shining, Eagle Twin, Night Horse, Los Natas, Monkey 3, Ancestors and more.

Norway’s Shining is indisputably one of the most hard-hitting and  progressive bands from that kingdom. They are constantly pushing musical boundaries, whether avant-garde metal, jazz, prog-rock or  psychedelia. The band excels at melding these disparate musical elements into a unique genre of their own, called Black-Jazz. Over the  top and sophisticated at the very same time, Shining (NO) create energetically original and thrilling music.

The new Shining album “Blackjazz” will be released on January 25 on Indie Recordings early 2010.

A band we also like very much at the Petting Zoo is Ancestors. There’s nothing common about the music of this Los Angeles quintet. To peg or try to pigeon hole the art they create would be missing the point.  Ancestors weave an unorthodox mixture of sonic textures, down-tempo riffs and rhythms, accented with well-crafted melodies and at times full-throttle assaults.  Their music is a journey through the past into the future; a signpost for a quickly emerging force of musical power and creativity.

Dixie Witch and House of Broken Promises have been confirmed for Roadburn’s special Afterburner event on Sunday, April 18, at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. More bands will follow.

For more info visit the Roadburn website

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Sweden’s Shining has inked a deal with Norwegian label Indie Recordings, that includes the release of two full-length albums, and the release of the first ever official DVD from the band.

Commenting on the new signing Shining’s front man and creator Niklas Kvarforth, said “Shining has reached a stage now where we have a considerable following, that is growing rapidly all the time, and I believe we have reached a new maturity with our music, expanding beyond what people expect from us, and we expect to go even further.  It was, therefore, time to notch things up in respect of labels.  We liked what Indie have been doing for their other bands, and we felt that Shining would be comfortable in a relationship with them”.

Shining recently pulled out of the Unholy Fest in Czechoslovakia, which has seen several bands pull out because of the organisers not meeting their obligations to the bands.  The band’s next festival appearance is scheduled for the Party San Festival on the 7th August.

More information about Shining, including two tracks from the forthcoming release can be found on the band’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/shininghalmstad

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