Bands of the month:
Vanity Ink 09/10 2009
Roxette 07/08 2009
Unshine 05/06 2009
100 Monkeys 03/04 2009
Sign 01/02 2009
Manzana 09/10 2008
Valkyrend Varieté 06/07 2008
Lines of Leaving 04/05 2008
Vanity Ink- Band of the month 09/10 2009
They got on your skin in 2007 and now they're back to bring you MORE
SENSELESS RANDOM BEHAVIOUR! The second full-length album of these crazy
Finnish rockers will be released in October 2009 through Swedmetal Records.
"Don't dream it, be it" say the Inkers. They were born and raised with
rock'n'roll records and they sold their souls already at their early ages. Many
years in this business guarantee the professionalism but their wicked sense of
humour and togetherness keeps them yahoo enough. The band is known of their wild
and unexpected – but at the same time really tight – live shows where
stagediving, hits, and bruises cannot be avoided.
Vanity Ink was founded in the end of 2002 and has so far released two
EPs (...roadkills! 2004 and Vanity is a Full-time Job 2005) and
one full-length album (On Your Skin 2007).
NEW ALBUM OUT NOW: MORE SENSLESS RANDOM BEHAVIOUR!!
Band:
Annabella - vocals;
Juha Bandit - guitar;
Jussi - guitar
Miki Peltola -
bass;
Sam Junni - drums
official website: http://www.vanityink.net
official myspace: http://www.myspace/vanityink
(source: http://www.myspace/vanityink)
ROXETTE- Band of the month 07/08 2009
Roxette is a Swedish pop music duo, consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle.
They enjoyed worldwide success, from the late 80s until the mid 90s,
gaining four US #1 singles with, "The Look", "Listen to Your Heart",
"It Must Have Been Love" and "Joyride". Two further singles "Dangerous"
and "Fading Like a Flower" scored.
In 2001 they last toured Germany after a long break and it seemed it
would be the goodbye tour when Marie gets sick of cancer but now
they are back again.
"ROXETTE :
Roxette, however, came out of Sweden in the late ‘80s.
Roxette is Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, and their game is pop.
With 31 chart-busting pop-singles, we feel assured enough to say that
few play it better.
They entered the cosmic consciousness with "The Look" in 1989, followed
up with the über-platinum album "Joyride" in 1991, and have been
on top of the charts somewhere in the world ever since. The constant
flow of hit singles and albums have resulted in staggering record sales
(55 million albums and 20 million singles) and world tours too big to
mention.
Amazingly, in a time when most ‘80s artists rely on "greatest
hits"-repackaging and nostalgia events, Roxette's seductive mix of
tongue-in-cheek pop and sweepingly romantic ballads, sounds as fresh
and effective as when they first stormed the airwaves. Their latest
album, "Room Service", boasts twelve new songs and melodies that will
occupy the centre of your suburb or whatever. It's not a Greatest
Hits-collection, it just sounds like one.
Marie and Per met in the laid-back West Coast town Halmstad in the late
‘70s, but individual success prevented them from "doing something
together" in the following years. Per's former power-pop group Gyllene
Tider is still one of Sweden's most loved acts, and Marie's impressive
solo career gave her an equally solid platform. In 1986, they were
ready to merge their creative forces. Per had the songs, Marie the
voice. Together, they argued, they would be a match made in heaven.
Nineteen years later, Roxette is still flying high. So, whether you
were too young to be there, or too old to remember it now, here's what
happened.
1986:
After a suggestion from EMI, Per and Marie finally realize their much
talked about plan to work together and record one-off single
"Neverending Love" under the name Roxette. It becomes a big summer hit
in Sweden. Marie is advised not to spoil her solo career by making pop
music with Roxette. She decides to record with Roxette anyway. Songs
originally planned for Per's third solo album is used for Roxette's
debut album "Pearls Of Passion". It establishes the new duo in Sweden.
"Neverending Love" is a minor hit in Europe.
1987:
Roxette tours Sweden, playing for 100,000 people in open-air festivals
throughout the country. Marie squeezes in her third solo album "Efter
stormen," before Roxette's Christmas single, "It Must Have Been Love
(Christmas For The Broken Hearted)," dominates the Swedish airwaves.
1988:
Roxette releases its second album, "Look Sharp!" and tours Sweden
again. The album is a triumph in Sweden, but a flop everywhere else. An
American exchange student returns from Sweden and urges radio station
KDWB in Minneapolis to play "The Look". From there, "The Look" spread
on cassette copies to other radio stations. Suddenly Roxette has a hit
single in the USA - and the record hasn’t even been released.
1989:
EMI quickly releases "The Look" in the U.S.A. It races up to #1 in
March, and tops the charts in 24 other countries. In October Per and
Marie get their second US #1 with "Listen To Your Heart," and Roxette
tours Europe. "Look Sharp!" eventually sells 8 million copies
worldwide.
1990:
A rewritten "It Must Have Been Love" (without the Christmas reference)
becomes Roxette's third US #1 in June. It is taken from the soundtrack
to "Pretty Woman," which sells 9 million copies. (At the end of 2005,
the song has been played 4,000,000 times on American radio, earning
songwriter Gessle yet another hard-to-beat BMI Award.
1991:
Roxette's third album "Joyride" is released. The title track is the
first single and reaches the #1 position in the U.S.A. (and many other
countries) in May. The "Join The Joyride" world tour starts in Helsinki
on September 4. The band will play 108 concerts in Europe, Australia,
U.S.A. and South America, before finishing in Stockholm on July 22nd
1992. By then over 1,7 million people have seen Roxette on stage. After
the tour, "Joyride" passes the 10-million mark.
1992:
"How Do You Do!" is the hit single off Roxette's fourth album
"Tourism," a collection of live tracks and on the spot-recordings made
during the world tour. Marie picks up her solo career, releasing her
fourth Swedish album, "Den ständiga resan," which sells platinum
in Sweden.
1993:
As the first non-English speaking band ever, Roxette plays MTV
Unplugged. "Almost Unreal," the leadoff track taken from the soundtrack
"Super Mario Bros," is a summer hit in Europe.
1994:
Roxette's fifth album "Crash!Boom!Bang!" is released in April, and
includes hit singles "Sleeping In My Car," "Run To You," "Fireworks"
and the title track. Roxette kicks off the second world tour in the
fall and plays 47 shows in Europe.
1995:
The tour continues to South Africa, where Roxette is greeted by 130,000
South African fans. Australia, South East Asia and Japan are next. They
also perform in Beijing's Capitol Indoor Stadium, and 11,000 Chinese
fans go crazy. In South America, the temperature reaches fever pitch.
In the fall Roxette's greatest hits-collection "Don't Bore Us - Get To
The Chorus!" is released and quickly becomes another multi-million
seller. A re-formed Gyllene Tider plays on the new Roxette song "She
Doesn't Live Here Anymore," from the hits collection.
1996:
Roxette chills out while Gyllene Tider makes a historic comeback in the
summer. Sweden capitulates completely, as the former teen-heroes
conquer the country in the most successful tour of open-air shows ever
in Scandinavia. Sales of "Halmstads pärlor," a Gyllene Tider hits
collection, reaches mind-blowing figures. More than 600,000 copies
sold…and counting!
In the fall, a Spanish-language album of Roxette's greatest ballads,
"Baladas En Español," is warmly received in all Spanish-speaking
countries. It becomes a platinum record in Spain and gold in Argentina,
Venezuela, Mexico and Chile.
1997:
In the spring Per releases "The World According To Gessle," a tough
power-pop solo album. For the singles "Do You Wanna Be My Baby?," "Kix"
and "I Want You to Know" he recruits up-and-coming video director Jonas
Åkerlund, whose innovative and controversial work causes much
debate and interest (Madonna and Prodigy are quick to make phone
calls).
1998:
Roxette is ready to work again. In January they take off to El Cortijo,
Spain, to start recordings for their sixth album of new material, "Have
A Nice Day". After a summer break, recordings continue in the fall. It
is finished by November. Thoughts of releasing "The Centre Of The
Heart" as a single are dropped in the last minute, since the song is
deemed too out-of-sync with the rest of the album. Instead, the
potential hit single is put in the can. Lucky old can, we say.
1999:
The first single, "Wish I Could Fly," is released on February 1st and
becomes a major European hit. "Have A Nice Day" is released, including
sizeable hits as "Anyone," "Stars" and "Salvation". Per and Marie spend
the best part of 1999 promoting the record around the world.
2000:
New millennium, new year, new songs. In the spring, Marie sums up her
solo career with triple-platinum selling collection "Äntligen",
with title track becoming an instant radio hit. Marie makes a
triumphant summer tour of Sweden before returning to the Roxette camp.
Hot on the heels of "Have A Nice Day," Roxette starts recording the new
album, "Room Service," in the fall. This time they decide to stay in
Stockholm. The band wades through new songs and leftovers from last
album. A firm decision to keep the album short and snappy leads to the
inclusion of twelve new songs, once again leaving a bunch of potential
hits in the can. The band records an inspired video at the legendary
California hotel Madonna Inn, once again directed by Jonas
Åkerlund.
2001:
A speeded-up and partly re-recorded "The Centre Of The Heart" is the
first single off "Room Service." It hits radio stations in February and
record-shops in March. In Sweden the single is premiered at the annual
Eurovision Song Contest. In April, Roxette's seventh album of new
material, "Room Service," is released. Twelve hot servings in one
platter. Who could ask for more?
2002:
Roxette releases the new greatest hits album "The Ballad Hits" with the
new song "A Thing About You" which becomes a rather sizeable radio hit.
2003:
The sister album "The Pop Hits" is released during the spring and this
time the new song "Opportunity Nox" is the single, this time with
Roxette’s first animated video ever. Per releases a new solo alum
in Swedish out of the blue. "Mazarin" sells five times platinum in the
end, and the three-week sold out summer tour blows everyone's minds!
2004:
Gyllene Tider releases a new record for the 25th anniversary - "Finn 5
fel!". The album sells as much as the previous albums did - a lot!
Gyllene Tider also tours Sweden with the GT25 tour. 492,252 people
attended, making it the biggest Scandinavian tour ever, and the second
biggest tour in Europe this year...
2006:
Roxette is back for the 20th anniversary! For the anniversary Roxette
releases the "RoxBox", another collection named "A Collection of
Roxette - Hits! Their 20 Greatest Songs" and the single "One Wish."
2007: The single "Reveal" was released in February." (source: www.roxette.se)
official website: http://www.roxette.se
official myspace: http://www.myspace/roxette
UNSHINE - Band of the month 05/06 2009
source: copyright © Low Frequency Records 2008, Photos by Valtteri Hirvonen
Unshine is a gothic
metal band from Helsinki, Finland.
In reviews their music is often described as athomspheric gothic metal, although they
categorize themselves as druid metal. They aim to have a timeless and unique
atmosphere in their songs. The songs often refer to our forgotten
interdependence with the primeval forces of nature and contain many alludes to
mythology and folklore.
Unshine was
born in May 2000, when Susanna Vesilahti visited the rehearsal of the
band for the first time. The other members, who known each other for
some years from other projects, describe that as a "kind of a musical
awakening". At that time the band had their rehearsal room at the
cellar of restaurant Manala in Helsinki.
The next years were filled with rehearsals and composing. At the
beginning of 2002 Unshine self-produced their first demo which was
called "Promo 2002", on which they published three songs. In the
following summer they had their first public gigs, which were followed
by their second demo, "Promo 2003".
Their debut-album Earth Magick was recorded at 2004 by Low Frequency
Records. One year later it was released in Finland and North-America by
Crash Music and got great reviews from all parts of the world.
Unshine's second album, The Enigma of Immortals, was released in April
2008.
History (source: www.unshine.com)
Druid metal. Music that spiritually and carnally marries the world of
primeval nature mysticism with no-compromise stonehard melodic
symphonic metal.
Despite of their yet short-time existence, Finnish druid metal
quintette UNSHINE has hit the metal world like a clang of an iron-age
hammer with their originally blended receipt of metal and (despite of
their name) has become one of the brightest new stars in their globally
metal-famed northern home country.
In the year 2004, the combat effectiveness of druidess beauty Susanna,
one of the most recognizable and adored new female voices in metal, and
her dedicated fellow bards was proved iron-clad as they fought off
themselves a record deal and released during 2005 their debut album,
Earth Magick, both in Europe and in North America. Even though the
whole thing was self-recorded and produced, it still managed to cause
exceptional fuss among the modern metal society.
Although the band has gained all kinds of attention, including
invitation to European-wide pop-contest in Spain in the very beginning
of their career and the recent, tenacious rumours of Susanna joining
Finland’s main export product, Nightwish, the two and half years
right after the debut album were dedicated totally to the creation of
the follower: The Enigma Of Immortals.
While the composing an arranging of the album took whole two years, the
recordings and mixing was done at uncompromising D-studio, Klaukkala,
Finland between April and October, 2007. The album was mastered by
top-rated Svante Forsbäck at Chartmakers, Helsinki, Finland.
The result embodies as a perfect-sounding and –produced album
that defines the very essence of druid metal. A graceful monster,
oozing with haunting folkish melodies and archetypal lyrical metaphors
reaching to celtic world and beyond.
The Enigma Of Immortals is a thematic course through our past, from the
deepest dark desolation and greediness of ancient rulers through the
strangest old world clairvoyants and ultimately to the greenest
celebration of the innocent life of the smallest nature dwellers.
Forget your dragons, fake witches and swordmen, the genuine darkness and beauty origins from a real well beneath our minds:
"Druids had the gift and the responsibility of interpreting the nature
and the universal mysteries to their folks. They literally walked
between the worlds. We feel that this is our destiny, too. Imagine us
as modern metal bards", describes Harri, the band’s main
composer, with a bit of self-irony in his smile.
The Band
Susanna Vesilahti- vocals
Harri Hautala- guitar & keyboards
Jari Hautala- guitar
Teemu 'Teemal' Vähäkangas- bass
Jukka 'Stibe' Hantula- drums
official website: http://www.unshine.com
official myspace: http://www.myspace.com/unshine
100 Monkeys: Band of the month 03/04 2009
100
Monkeys are a crazy band from Los Angeles you cannot put into any
category. You can check the sound at their official myspace to get a
clue.
"(The Hundredth Monkey Effect generally describes the instant, paranormal
spreading of an idea or ability to the remainder of a population once a certain
portion of that population has heard of the new idea or learned the new
ability....hmmm.)
Ben G - was assembled in the port of juarang,
but his parts were made in thailand. traveled to the states in 91 with his
brother and mule, and they never would've made it if ben wasn't a submersible,
"that means i work underwater." ben started playing music two januarys ago.
Ben J. - discovered in the woods of illinois, captured and brought to NY
where he learned to hit things in rhythmic fashion that pleas-eth the ear.
rescued by spencer bell, and brought to WI where he continued to hit things in
rhythmic delight for the band, The Stevedores. After braving the winters of WI,
he migrated southwest to Los Angeles, and started hitting things in rhythmic
fashion that so pleas-eth the ear as a 100 Monkey.
J. Action - parts
made in indonesia, assembled in singapore, raised on airplane peanuts and bathed
in airport restroom sinks, he was saved by texas. given a guitar and a coat he
accidentally ventured into the unknown... a wormhole opened, and he found
himself in La La Land. he learned how to stand where they told him to, say what
they told him to and never lie. rescued by the 100 Monkeys, he now swings about
the stage in gratitude.
J. Rad - an agile primate, swung on bars and
competed as an acrobat for many years. Is of a rare breed, having the ability to
communicate via sign language. He adapted to a coastal habitat, surfing and
skateboarding as a way to pass time. However, it wasn’t until he mastered the
technique of the singing strings and melodic hammer machine, that the 100
monkeys rushed to claim him as their own. "
(source: www.myspace.com/these100monkeys )
Bandmembers:
Ben Graupner (Ben G)
Jackson Rathbone (J. Action)
Jerad Anderson ( J. Rad)
Ben Johnson (Ben J.)
Album:
An improv album named "Monster De Luxe" can be checked at iTunes soon
Lable:
Unsigned
official website: www.100monkeysmusic.com
official myspace: www.myspace.com/these100monkeys --> LISTEN!!!!
Sign: Band of the month 01/02 2009
Sign is an Icelandic hard rock band that was formed in 2001, as Halim,
to compete in the Icelandic version of the Battle of the bands.
The band has toured with bands such as Wednesday 13, The Wildhearts,
Aiden, The Answer, Skid Row and played a show with Alice Cooper in
Iceland. In August 2007 Sign played their first headline tour of the UK.
On June 10th 2008 Sign opened for Whitesnake in Reykjavik, Iceland. On
June 14th 2008 Sign were the first band to play on the mainstage at
Download Festival, Donnington Park.
Sign recorded a cover of Iron Maiden's Run to the Hills on the tribute
CD Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden released by Kerrang!
magazine.
Current members
Zolberg - vocals, guitars (2000-present)
Egill - drums (2000-present)
A.D. - guitars (2004-present)
Heimir - Bass (2007-present)
Aggi - keyboards, guitars (2008-present)
Former members
Hörður Stefánsson (2000-2001) - Guitars
Sigurður Ágúst (2000-2003) - Bass
Baldvin Freyr (Baddi) (2001-2004) - Guitars
Silli Geirdal (2004-2007) - Bass
Discography
Band
Vindar og Breytingar (2001)
Fyrir Ofan Himininn (2002)
Thank God For Silence (2005)
The Hope (2008)
Sampler
Maiden Heaven (2008)
www.sign.is
www.myspace.com/sign
Manzana: Band of the month 09/ 10 2008
2008, Sept/ Oct.
Manzana (FIN)
90th Metal, female fronted!
official website: www.manzana.fi
official myspace: www.myspace.com/manzanaband (new songs online!!)
official german myspace: www.myspace.com/manzanagermany
Manzana is about
passion. We dream of making music that can be felt in your ass, in your
throat, in your feet. Music that makes your head explode with energy,
love end power. Music that makes you strong and proud. That´s
how we wanna feel. Manzana means an apple. It´s fresh, sour
,juicy, fleshy. It feeds hunger. We are about passion and lust for life
and music. We play cause we wanna play. We make 90´s melodic
rockmetal. Again. We don´t care. As long as it feels right.
To make the long story short, with or without music- we´d be
in gutter. There´s nothing to loose. For you either!
Manzana means an apple. Forbidden, delicious, nutritious. fresh,
tasty….
A Manzana a day keeps the doctor away!
Manzana is a pop-metal band from Tampere, Finland. The
four of them have known each other for years, and feed musically from
the 90´s grunge-alt-metal heritage. They make music that is
dramatic, elastic, melodic and strong. The band came to life in the
summer 2003, by Henkka, Heikki and Piritta. Ville joined the band a
year later, and fit in perfectly. They played a bunch of gigs to test
themselves, and released a promo EP “Nothing a Whole As A
Broken Heart” in the summer 2005. Feedback was very good, and
some labels were interested in signing them, but they didn’t
get a good enough deal with anyone. They decided to make an album with
their own TRC-Records label.
“Falling to Pieces” was released by TRC November 6
th 2006, and it hit the charts number 3 and 2. The Album
“Nothing As Whole As A Broken Heart” came out on
January 31st. 2007 and went on chart number 24. They also released a
video for “Falling To Pieces” in February, and it
went into Kids Top 20 video chart number 13 ,The album has been well
and widely reviewed in the media, and “Falling To Pieces
“has got some airplay in Finnish radios and TV.
The band has a reputation of intensive and groovy live performer, and
they have a heavy live sound for a pop-metal band. The band has visited
this year with interview &video at the Sub Tv Shows
Rautaryhmä and Subbari, Lista-show( video only ), MTV 3 Kids
Top Show, Voice Tv and Music Television Headbangers Ball.
They´ve also attended at Yle X and Pommiradio. Small net
radios have played “Falling To Pieces” in many
countries, due to the bands My Space connections.
In Finland, www.noise.fi
and pommiradio.fi
were playing Manzana a long before the others, and now RadioRock
took” Falling To Pieces” on their playlist, too .
Pop in and have a bite! (source: www.manzana.fi)
Members:
Piritta - vocals
Henkka W. - guitar
Klaus Wirzenius- bass
Heikki Malmberg - drums
Discography
Nothing As Whole As A Broken Heart 2007
Babies of Revoulution 2008
Label: Dynamic Art Records
Official
website: http://www.manzana.fi
German website: www.blackswan-promotions.de with german bio and some great stuff thats not on the official website ;)
