NEW MUSIC EVERY WEDNESDAY AT MAIDEN ALTERNATIVE CLUB, OSLO

Tom (Dj TomBoy/Halfface) has had a change of venue since last you heard of him and is now to be found behind the bar of Maiden in Øvre Slottsgate. Every Wednesday he plays the new shit! Drop in for an evening of beer and fierce musical savoir-faire.

>> Who is this guy?

AUDIO LOBOTOMY - EARTH + SUNNO))) - MARCH 7 2006, BLÅ, OSLO

Ever been to a concert where you consider wearing a kidney belt before you settle for at least thinking about ear plugs?

Catgirl went and saw Earth + Sunno))) in Oslo - both bands touring with their new albums. And both bands obviously sharing the same love for sunn amps and loads of them...

>> Read entire review

HAPPYBLOGS - Happiest Girl Tells It All

A telephone call at work in October put me on a plane to New York together with Happiest Girl - Else. She's one of the biggest DM fans I know, and together we've had a pretty good time in the name of DM. But New York isn't the only place DM has been lately...

>> Happiest Girl in New York
>> A Near Depche Experience (Oslo)

COHEED & CAMBRIA (+ JR Ewing) - FEB 14 2006, ROCKEFELLER, OSLO

It's a Tuesday night, Valentine's Day, and we're watching one of the bands that has been forseen a bright future in 2006 - Coheed & Cambria.

In addition two chatfriends meet again after almost 5 years and also enjoys a very good support act.

>> Storytime is here...

IN THE YEAR OF PATTON - ROSKILDE 2005

Mike Patton is like many other things in life something you either hate or love. Roskilde Festival has sure proven bookingwise that they loooove Mike Patton. With four scheduled appearences with four different projects (and one guest appearance) the man was everywhere, and I say thankee. Now let's take a closer look at the adventures and spectacles this musical mastermind delivered...

>> Read entire review

BEECHER

This Elegy, His Autopsy
Earache 2005
www.beecher-online.com

You gotta hand it out to Boston. Boston has given you Isis, Converge and now Beecher. Do not expect the ethereal landscapes of Isis, but more the brutality of Converge.

The sound is heavy, heavy, heavy with tearing guitars, wrenching - yet distinguished vocals and a lot of noise. I find myself missing a better flow of events, but this is how it's meant to be.

A couple of tracks will take you along for a ride on a wave of funneling guitars and cascading drums and even some more punk-like elements comes through on other tracks again. A little bit for everyone. And a little bit too much for someone I guess.

BLOODSIMPLE

A Cruel World
Warners 2005
www.bloodsimpleband.com

Wonderfully crushing metalcore from Ex-Vision of Disorder frontman Tim Williams and comrades. The album A Cruel World was released last year and December 2005 they were touring with Mastodon in the UK.

Songs like "Straight Hate" have you grinning like a fool while nodding your head in pure aggressive joy. This is tight. The vocals are awesome, the guitars travel from fierce licking riffs to sluggish chugs and all in all it has everything you need to go *whoppa*!

I spent some time trying to put my finger on what band last gave me the same kick, and finally figured out it was when I saw Slipknot live. I would also recommend this band to those who like Vision of Disorder, Sepultura, Soulfly (though no latino influences), Hatebreed and maybe Mastodon - though Bloodsimple do not have the same massive sound and quality.

A little warning (though I've rated the album high...) the more soft songs on the album can be skipped. There is really nothing new and interesting about them.

BURST

Origo
Relapse 2005
www.burst.nu

Swedish band Burst has released their second album Origo and a big hurrah for that.

Their first album Prey On Life was good stuff, but this is great! Burst is heavy, melodic metal with enough twists and turns to keep you interested throughout the entire album.

Burst is one of those "heavy in front - soft and harmonic in the back"- kinda bands - referring to both vocals and instruments. One of the tracks, "It Comes Into View" (instrumental) even features something that sounds like a hammond organ and then ventures into a more prog metal sound. After listening to the album about 10 times my clear favorite is the last song "Mercy Liberation". It starts off sounding very Isis-like backed by what almost sounds like war drums - then a country guitar sound breaks the illusion and the vocal tears any resemblance to country apart. Wuhuuu!

If you like Mastodon and Cult of Luna this lingers somewhere in the landscape between. Opeth fans might also be enthusiastic about Burst. I would be very happy to welcome "Søta Bror" to a scene in Oslo in the near future.

Burst is according to Swedish media ready for Roskilde 2006! Yeehah!

COHEED AND CAMBRIA

Good Apollo I'm Burning Star Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness.
Epic 2005
www.coheedandcambria.com

The album title itself probably gives away what this is about. Yes..we're talking prog.

The world has already fallen head over heals for Mars Volta and this is by far their closest peers - vocals, big hair and all.

Most people might have discovered this release already, but I would like to point out the thing I like better about Coheed and Cambria than Mars Volta. They know when to end a song. I really like Mars Volta, but their last album make me hit the skip button more than once as they head off on some strange prog trip that eventually does NOTHING good for the song. Coheed and Cambria might be a bit easier to listen to and without the same edge as Mars Volta, but that's ok as long as it makes me wanna listen to the entire song.

In February they're playing in Oslo with JR Ewing (N) - and hopefully that will be a really great concert..(Don't even get me started on what I thought about Mars Volta live at Betong a few years back.....Didn't even play the best song..)

UPCOMING STORIES AND REVIEWS

In this particulare spot we're gonna try to remind you about, or bring to you for the first time, releases that goes a bit back in time. Backtracking our way to the core of things and maybe you'll learn something new about you favorite band. Or something totally uninteresting about some other band you don't give a squat about. We'll see....

First band out will be a treat for post-grunge fans....

HOW'S IT GOIN WIT DAT COLLECTION....