Niklas Kvarforth's Shining Announces Dates In Finland

Sweden’s SHINING is set to hit the road again at the start of the New Year to undertake four dates in Finland as an extension to their previously announced Razors Across Europe tour.   The dates are part of the  “Feverdreams”  events to promote the release of the band’s full-length album “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” which came out on Dark Essence Records at the end of September.  Routing for the Finnish dates as follows:

22 Jan, Klubi, Tampere
23 Jan, Lutakko, Jyväskylä
24 Jan, Klubi, Turku
25 Jan, Virgin Oil, Helsinki

A track from “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”,  which features guest vocals from some of the elite of Black Metal including ATTILA CSIHAR (MAYHEM, TORMENTOR),  MANIAC (SKITLIV, EX MAYHEM), GAAHL (GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH), FAMINE (PESTE NOIRE) and PEHR LARSSON (ALFAHANNE), can be heard below.   

Other already confirmed dates include Satan’s Convention in Germany in December of this year and Blastfest in Norway in February of next year.  Below you will find a full list of SHINING’s confirmed upcoming live appearances

2013

NOVEMBER

22 -  Tiyatrom, Berlin, Germany

23 - Skullcrusher, Dresden, Germany

24 -  Viper Room, Vienna, Austria

25 - Gala Hala, Ljubljana, Slovenia

26 – Freak Out Club, Bologna, Italy

27 – Alte Kaserne, Zurich, Switzerland

28 – Ninkasi Kao, Lyon, France

29 – Secret Place, Montpellier, France

30 – Nouveau Casino, Paris, France

DECEMBER

01 – Effenaar, Eindhoven

02 – Magasin 4, Brussels, Belgium

03 – Electrowerkz, London, England

04 – Lomax, Liverpool, England

05 – Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, England

06 – Voodoo Lounge, Dublin, Eire

07 – The Snooty Fox, Wakefield, England

08 – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow, Scotland

28 – Satan’s Convention, Speyer, Germany

2014

JANUARY

22 - Klubi, Tampere, Finland

23 - Lutakko, Jyväskylä, Finland

24 - Klubi, Turku, Finland

25 - Virgin Oil, Helsinki, Finland

FEBRUARY

20 – Blastfest, Bergen, Norway

More information about SHINING can be found here.

Shining’s Jørgen Munkeby to perform with string ensemble

While in California to promote Shining’s new album One One One earlier this year, the Norwegian Blackjazz band’s composer Jørgen Munkeby wrote a 22 minutes long piece for saxophone and acoustic string ensemble. This work, simply entitled “42”, is now being performed for the first time at the Norwegian festival Barentsjazz in the northern city of Tromsø, Norway, on November 21^st.

The composition “42” marks Munkeby’s return to his acoustic jazz roots of John Coltrane, along with a distinct silver lining of the French composer Olivier Messiaen, thereby echoing the same inspiration sources that forged Shining’s first two acoustic albums released in 2001 and 2003, both of which has been out of print for more than seven years.

Munkeby comments

“This year it’s ten years since Shining released our last acoustic jazz album, and it feels great to revisit some of my biggest inspirations and ways of writing from that time. With my more recent Blackjazz way of playing the saxophone, combined with an acoustic string ensemble of 21 players, I think “42” has turned out to be a great piece of art music with an enjoyable and familiar Blackjazz twist. Greatly looking forward to the premiere!”

Frode Larsen from Barentsjazz Festival comments:

“In all likelihood, this will be the most exciting musical hybrid of the year, one of today’s foremost Norwegian artists. This will be powerful stuff. The piece was commissioned before Shining got their big breakthrough, so it wasn’t possible to squeeze it into Munkeby’s busy schedule until now. But we’re excited that we’re finally there!”

The premiere will be combined with a master class and lecture about the piece for the music conservatory in Tromsø. There is currently no plans for additional performances of this work “42”.

Tickets for the premiere of Munkeby’s “42” with Tromsø Chamber Orchestra November 21st can be found here and here.

Shining are currently finishing up their three weeks long tour with The Ocean, Tides From Nebula and Hacride. See them on one of the remaining dates below:

12/11/13 – Germany, Munich, Backstage Club
13/11/13 – Switzerland, Winterthur, Salzhaus
14/11/13 – France, Belfort, La Poudriere
15/11/13 – Germany, Essen, Zeche Carl
16/11/13 – Germany, Karlsruhe, Stadtmitte
17/11/13 – Germany, Berlin, Lido

FILM MAKER TO ACCOMPANY SWEDEN’S SHINING ON UPCOMING TOUR. NEW VIDEO TEASER RELEASED

Swedish film maker Martin Strandberg is set to accompany Niklas Kvarforths’ SHINING on their upcoming headlining European tour where he will film more footage and interviews for the documentary he is making about the band.  Work on the documentary, which traces SHINING’s often turbulent history, was begun earlier this year, and is expected to finish in time for a general release towards the end of 2014.  A second video teaser featuring CARPATHIAN FOREST’s Nattefrost and Anders Kobro can be seen below.

Whilst being the subject of the documentary, founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth is keen to emphasize that SHINING itself has no input or influence whatsoever on the content. “The documentary was entirely the idea of Martin Strandberg, and, other than being interviewed for it ourselves, we have no hand in it at all.  All we know is that family, friends, former band members and who knows who else are contributing, but what they’re contributing we will have to wait to find out along with everyone else”.  

The Razors Across Europe tour will hit the road on the 22^nd November, and accompanying SHINING, whose latest release “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” appeared on Dark Essence Records in September, will be fellow management roster members CREST OF DARKNESS from Norway, also touring with their latest release “In the Presence of Death”, as well as Germany’s STERBHAUS.  Routing for the tour as follows:

NOVEMBER

22 -  Tiyatrom, Berlin, Germany

23 - Skullcrusher, Dresden, Germany

24 -  Viper Room, Vienna, Austria

25 - Gala Hala, Ljubljana, Slovenia

26 – Freak Out Club, Bologna, Italy

27 – Alte Kaserne, Zurich, Switzerland

28 – Ninkasi Kao, Lyon, France

29 – Secret Place, Montpellier, France

30 – Nouveau Casino, Paris, France

DECEMBER

01 – Effenaar, Eindhoven

02 – Magasin 4, Brussels, Belgium

03 – Electrowerkz, London, England

04 – Lomax, Liverpool, England

05 – Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, England

06 – Voodoo Lounge, Dublin, Eire

07 – The Snooty Fox, Wakefield, England

08 – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow, Scotland

More information about SHINING can be found at shiningasylum.com

Shining perform "I Won't Forget" at demolition site for their own studio!

Shining performing their single "I Won't Forget" on location where their studio and rehearsal rooms are being torn down to make apartments, along with fifty other studios.

Shining think it's a pity that another building with arts and music are being torn down, and are fighting to keep the creative environment alive in these buildings. "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." (Theo C.) We won't forget the silence of the government with this case.

The clip is filmed in one take without any editing. Audio is recorded with only one stereo mic for the band and one mic on vocals and sax. It's as real as you get.

Produced and directed by Jonas Bødtker for NRK P3 as part of the series "P3 Spanderer"

The band commented:

We just posted a fun little video we did with NRK P3 (Norwegian National TV), and though you might want to see it! It was filmed in one take with only three mics (we usually use 25), with no editing and no mixing. Straight ahead! What you see is what you get. But we think it's still pretty cool! 

The reason we chose this location is that this is the buildings where Shining's studio and rehearsal rooms have been for the last 7 years. As you see, it's all about to be torn down and/or converted into apartments, just like they do all over the city now, since investors earn much more money on building apartments than preserving cool buildings with arts and music.

And concluded:

PS: The government (Byutviklingskomiteen, Oslo Kommune) will look over the case for these buildings on Wed Sept 18th to see if they have allowed too many apartments in this case. They promised a limit of 20% back in 2009, but fucked it up by mistake when writing the regulations for the area. Let's hope they can get this case back on track, as they meant it to be! Munkeby has written a letter asking them to straighten things out once and for all. Concluded. 

Come see SHINING live at one of the dates below, including their upcoming European tour with The Ocean:

9/17     Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus

9/18     Montreal, QC - Foufounes Electriques

9/19     Toronto, ON - Wreck Room

9/20     Chicago, IL  - Reggie's (NEW VENUE!)

9/23     Denver, CO - Marquis Theater

9/25     Santa Ana, CA - Observatory

9/26     San Francisco, CA - Slim's

9/28     Los Angeles, CA - Roxy

10/25    Rennes, FR - Garmonbozia Festival

10/29    Hamburg, DE - Logo ^

10/30    Rotterdam, NL - Patronaat ^

10/31    Rotterdam, NL - Baroeg ^

11/01    London, UK - The Garage ^

11/02    Leeds, UK - Damnation Festival

11/03    Paris, FR - Divan Du Monde ^

11/05    Barcelona, ES - Apolo 2 ^

11/06    Madrid, ES - Caracol ^

11/07    Porto, PL - Hard Club ^

11/09    Turin, IT - Audiodrome ^

11/10    Rome, IT - Traffic ^

11/11    Ljubljana, SL - Gala Hala ^

11/12    Munich, DE - Backstage Club ^

11/13    Winterthur, CH - Salzhaus ^

11/14    Belfort, FR - La Poudriere ^

11/15    Essen, DE - Zeche Carl ^

11/17    Berlin, DE - Lido ^

12/28    Speyer, DE- Satan's Convention

^ with The Ocean, Hacride, Tides of Nebula

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NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S SHINING TO HEADLINE RAZORS OVER EUROPE 2013 TOUR. BLACK METALLERS CREST OF DARKNESS AND THRASHERS STERBHAUS TO SUPPORT

Sweden’s SHINING is set to headline the  “Razors Over Europe 2013 Tour” (a nod in the direction of the band’s 2007 tour “Razors Across Europe” with URGHEAL) which will take place over 17 dates during November and December of this year.  Norwegian Black Metallers CREST OF DARKNESS, who, like management roster-mates SHINING, will be touring with a new album, and Swedish Thrashers STERBHAUS, are set to support the tour which is presented by Catapult Promotion.  Routing confirmed so far for the "Razors Over Europe 2013 Tour" as follows:

NIKLAS KVARFORTH

NOVEMBER
22 -  Tiyatrom, Berlin, Germany

23 - Skullcrusher, Dresden, Germany

24 -  Viper Room, Vienna, Austria

25 - Gala Hala, Ljubljana, Slovenia

26 – Freak Out Club, Bologna, Italy

27 – TBA, Switzerland

28 – Ninkasi Kao, Lyon, France

29 – Secret Place, Montpellier, France

30 – Nouveau Casino, Paris, France

DECEMBER

01 – Effenaar, Eindhoven

02 – Magasin 4, Brussels, Belgium

03 – Electrowerkz, London, England

04 – Lomax, Liverpool, England

05 – Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, England

06 – The  Pint, Dublin, Eire

07 – TBA, UK

08 – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow, Scotland

SHINING is a band that needs no introduction, particularly to fans of Black Metal and DSBM, for whom NIKLAS KVARFORTH’s unruly child has been a yardstick for superb musicianship, skilled writing, and a complete disregard for the artificial rules placed on the genres by a generation of fans who only became aware of Black Metal long after the band was formed back in 1996.  Never a band to stick to a repetitive formula when playing live, SHINING’s performances are emotionally charged and “of the moment”, with audiences always wondering what to expect next from one of the scene’s most dynamic frontmen.   SHINING has a new full-length  album, “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”, due out on Dark Essence Records on the 23^rdSeptember, which features guest vocals from some of the elite of Black Metal including ATTILA CSIHAR (MAYHEM, TORMENTOR),  MANIAC (SKITLIV, EX MAYHEM), GAAHL (GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH), FAMINE (PESTE NOIRE) and PEHR LARSSON (ALFAHANNE), a track from which can be heard here. More information about SHINING can be found here.

CREST of DARKNESS is another band with a long history behind it - 18 years to be precise.  With six full-length albums under their belts, CREST OF DARKNESS this year saw Kickass Metal webzine place two of those albums in first and second positions in their “Norwegian Heavy Metal Albums of All Time” feature.  Combining elements from both Black and Death Metal together with founder Ingar Amlien’s interest in Vampirism and Satanic ideology and his passion for sonic brutality, CREST OF DARKNESS’ sound has grown in power and intensity over the years and the recent addition of a young new guitarist has breathed a renewed sense of enthusiasm and a fresh outlook to the band. CREST OF DARKNESS’ sixth-full length album, “In the Presence of Death”, was released on My Kingdom Music earlier this year.  More information about CREST OF DARKNESS can be found here.

CREST OF DARKNESS

Formed in 2007 in Stockholm, STERBHAUS is a four-piece thrash/death combo that set out to prove that quality Metal combined with a neatly weighed dose of humour can blend perfectly. Having completely revitalized itself STERBHAUS now brings to the stage humour with sarcastic tongue-in-cheek wit and verbal slaughter that is hell-bent on earning the band a smirk or two. STERBHAUS is all about waging sonic warfare against trends and stereotyping. What you see is what you get, and what you get is music founded on the four cornerstones of Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal and Black Metal. “Angels For Breakfast…And God For Lunch”, the debut album from STERBHAUS, was released on Killhead Productions in 2012.  More information about STERBHAUS can be found here.

STERBHAUS

SWEDEN’S SHINING DEBUTS TRACK FROM UPCOMING ALBUM “Selvdestruktivitetens Emissarie”

A track from “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”, the upcoming album from Sweden’s SHINING due to be released on Dark Essence Records, has been debuted today. Featuring songs dating back to the band’s “Livets Ändhållplats” and “Angst” era, “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” is a rare foray for the band, in that all the vocals on all the tracks, bar-one, are performed by vocalists specially chosen by SHINING founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth, with some being sung in the native languages of the guests taking part.  “Selvdestruktivitetens Emissarie” the fourth track on the six-track album features Gaahl (GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH ) on vocals and is currently being streamed by Metal Hammer, together with an interview with Niklas Kvarforth.  It can be heard here.

The tracks on “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” are in their original pre-production format, to which have been added newly recorded bass and guitars, as well as keyboards by Lars Fredrik Fröslie (ANGST SKVADRON, WOBBLER, ASMEGIN), whose sound is a realtively new addition to SHINING’s releases, not having been used before the band’s sixth album.  Track listing and featured vocalists as follows:

1. Terres Des Anonymes featuring FAMINE of PESTE NOIRE

2. Szabadulj Meg Önmagadtól featuring ATTILA CSIHAR of MAYHEM, TORMENTOR

3. Ett Liv Utan Mening featuring PEHR LARSSON of ALFAHANNE

4. Selvdestruktivitetens Emissarie featuring GAAHL of GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, TRELLDOM, EX GORGOROTH

5. Black Industrial Misery featuring  MANIAC of SKITLIV, EX MAYHEM

6. Through Corridors Of Oppression featuring  KVARFORTH himself

“8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” will hit the streets on the 23^rd September, and will be available both in CD and limited edition black or white 12” vinyl versions, with liner notes by Niklas Kvarforth.  Artwork for the album is by Michal Pawlowski (miszaa.tumblr.com). All three versions are now available to pre-order from Dark Essence Records.

More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website.

Sweden's Shining Announces Track Listing and Guest Performers on Upcoming Album

The long-awaited details about which vocalists would be featuring on “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”, the new album from Sweden’s SHINING, have been announced today, and not unsurprisingly Niklas Kvarforth has chosen some of the most iconic frontmen from the Extreme Metal genre, as well as a some perhaps surprising choices, to take part in the project.

Track listing on “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd”and featured vocalists as follows:

1. Terres Des Anonymes featuring FAMINE of PESTE NOIRE
2. Szabadulj Meg Önmagadtól featuring ATTILA CSIHAR of MAYHEM, TORMENTOR
3. Ett Liv Utan Mening featuring PEHR LARSSON of ALFAHANNE
4. Selvdestruktivitetens Emissarie featuring GAAHL of GOD SEED, WARDRUNA, EX GORGOROTH
5. Black Industrial Misery featuring  MANIAC of SKITLIV, EX MAYHEM
6. Through Corridors Of Oppression featuring  KVARFORTH himself

The six songs on “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” date back to SHINING’s “Livets Ändhållplats” and “Angst” era and are in their original pre-production form, with the addition of newly recorded bass and guitars as well as  Lars Fredrik Fröslie on keyboards (ANGST SKVADRON, WOBBLER, ASMEGIN), which the band didn’t start using until their sixth album.  Set for release on DARK ESSENCE RECORDS on the 23^rd September “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” will be available both in CD and limited edition black or white 12” vinyl versions, with liner notes by Niklas Kvarforth. All three versions are now available to pre-order from Dark Essence Records.

SHINING founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth has wanted to do this project for many years now, and he allowed all the vocalists free reign to interpret the songs as they wished and also to sing in their own native languages.  Something that Dark Essence’s Martin Kvam feels fits right in with the label’s ethos of mixing tradition with innovation.  “With “28 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” SHINING  has really encapsulated what we enjoy doing most as a label, looking back as it does to an earlier period, but with a completely fresh approach and different interpretation of what have now become classics in the field of Extreme Metal. SHINING fans are certainly not going to be disappointed when they hear what this album has to offer.”

More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website and DARK ESSENCE RECORDS.

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS AND NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S SHINING GET TOGETHER FOR SPECIAL RELEASE

DARK ESSENCE RECORDS is set to release an album with different SHINING songs that hark back to an earlier era for the band.  Rather than simply re-issue the original tracks, SHINING has decided not only to re-record the songs, but re-record them using a number of different vocalists.  The album, which will be available in both CD and LP versions will be titled “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” and is due to appear in September of this year.

Commenting on the idea behind the album, SHINING founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth had this to say: “Some of you may remember that five years ago we revealed that we had plans to re-record our debut album and then have six different vocalists doing their own interpretations of the songs instead of merely having them singing on the already set paradigms.  You may also be aware that recently we have been working extremely hard to reclaim our birthright by releasing older bootlegs through our web-shop in an effort to put an end to this fucking bootlegging bullshit that has been infecting our aura for as long as we’ve been around. So we thought that since the new SHINING full-length album is still in the making now would be the right time to combine a bit of both those projects.

“8 ½ - Febedrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” consist of six songs from the “Livets Ändhållplats” and “Angst” era in their original pre-production versions, with newly recorded bass and guitars on top and the malevolent brilliance of Lars Fredrik Fröslie’s keyboard magic, which sadly we didn’t start using until the sixth album.  Six vocalists whom we all find both inspiring and “otherworldly” have blessed the album with their madness, some of them even in their native languages.  At first, my initial thought was that it might turn out a bit too strange. But after hearing some of our classic songs in French, Hungarian and Norwegian I am certain the whole concept will please not only our loyal fan-base but even the contemptuous ones as well”.

Martin Kvam of DARK ESSENCE RECORDS, one of Norway’s leading Extreme Metal labels said: “We’re very pleased to be working with Niklas Kvarforth on this special SHINING release. DARK ESSENCE RECORDS have always aimed to work with both innovation and tradition in the extreme metal genre, and this release is a perfect example of that. “8 ½ - Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd” looks back, but at the same time, it also brings new life and new elements to these classic songs.”

More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website and DARK ESSENCE RECORDS.

Shining: Another Awesome Video Released “I Won’t Forget”

A few weeks ago Shining released a clip from the band ’s upcoming video in a short and mysterious teaser. Now the full music video for the single “I Won’t Forget”, taken from their upcoming album “One One One”, is finally being released. Its proper science fiction film look gels naturally with the futuristic production of the audio track, and creates a music video that perfectly portrays the unique aesthetics of the Blackjazz Rebels from up north.

“We are extremely happy and excited to finally be able to show you our new video! The song “I Won’t Forget” is my absolute favorite of all the tracks we’ve ever made, and to be able to top this track off with such a beautiful, crisp and clean science fiction video is a dream come true”, says Shining’s front man, Jørgen Munkeby.

Director Kyrre Larsen, from the Blæst production company, comments: “Since I first heard Blackjazz, I've somehow associated the sound of Shining's music with science-fiction. I tried to create a sense of this in the video for "Fisheye” in 2012. "I Won't Forget" builds on that video, but I wanted to take things one step further - and also avoid the style of imagery usually associated with heavier music.”

The avant-garde Norwegian group Shining – whose unique "blackjazz" hybrid of extreme progressive metal, experimental jazz-fusion and industrial precision has earned extensive international acclaim – will release "One One One," their first studio album in three years, this spring in North America and Europe. The album, which is available now for pre-order, will be released digitally in North America on April 23, with physical releases on CD and gatefold LP to follow soon after.

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SHINING Previews Artwork And Posts Teaser For Upcoming Split

Following an announcement on the band’s Facebook page recently, Sweden’s SHINING has revealed the artwork for the upcoming split with MORTUARY DRAPE as well as posting a teaser for the SHINING track. Titled “In the Eerie Cold  Where All the Witches Dance” and set for release on Primitive Art Records, the 7” vinyl will contain an exclusive track from each of the bands. The two tracks will only be released on the split and will not appear on any album.

Commenting about the SHINING track on the original announcement of the split, frontman and founder Niklas Kvarforth said: “In 1998 a song was written which was intended for inclusion on our first album. However, somehow we were not able to record it properly, which forced us to re-record “Endless Solitude” instead. At the next Abyss session we faced the same problem and after that, the then-titled “One With The Endless”, was left out as we were certain the song had a curse written all over it. Quite recently, we gave it a third shot, and this time the curse was embraced instead of the opposite. A strange phenomena reinventing itself in every way possible, and, for some odd reason, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t write any suitable lyrics, and once again considered leaving it be. I did however have a very close friend of mine in the studio who not only came up with a new lyrical theme for the song but was also given my full blessings to sing it”.

The teaser for SHINING’s track on “In the Eerie Cold Where All the Witches Dance” can be heard below.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Shining on Facebook | Shining Webshop
Mortuary Drape
Primitive Art Records

NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S SHINING TO BE THE SUBJECT OF DOCUMENTARY

As was previously hinted at, Niklas Kvarforth’s SHINING is to be the subject of a documentary which is being produced for release in cinemas. The documentary, which is the idea of Martin Strandberg of Sweden’s Black Shadows Film Productions, will chart the often turbulent history of the band, and includes candid interviews with the people who have been most closely involved with SHINING in one way or another over the years, including family, friends and former band members. A video teaser for the documentary was released recently, and English subtitles have now been added. 

Commenting on the project Kvarforth said: ”We keep being asked about the documentary, but we are as much in the dark about it as everyone else. It’s Martin’s project, and we have no input into it at all other than as interviewees. We shall see what we shall see.

More information about SHINING can be found at www.shiningasylum.com.

The video teaser for the documentary can be seen below.

Shining on Facebook | 

Shining Webshop

Management and PR: patriciathomas@btinternet.com

NIKLAS KVARFORTH’S SHINING COMING TO A CINEMA NEAR YOU IN 2014

NIKLAS KVARFORTH’s SHINING will be coming to a cinema near you in 2014.
First available details can be found in the video BELOW.

More information about NIKLAS KVARFORTH and SHINING can be found here.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Shining Website: www.shiningasylum.com
Shining on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial
Shining Webshop: http://www.shininglegions.com

NIKLAS KVARFORTH TO WRITE “CHRONICLES FROM THE ASYLUM”COLUMN

In a statement issued today, SHINING’s NIKLAS KVARFORTH made the somewhat unexpected announcement that he would be writing a twelve-part column entitled “Chronicles from the Asylum”, the French version of which would be published exclusively in METALLIAN MAGAZINE. Further information can be found here.

Regarding the subject matter of the column, KVARFORTH had this to say: “The way things have been heading the past few years with the general decline of the physical format, including that of the printed press, I feel there is a need to reveal certain things that reporters, for whatever reason, dare not speak of, whether because of censorship concerns or the danger of becoming social pariahs. I, on the other hand, have no problems with that, so, with Chronicles from the Asylum” I intend to destroy a few of the misconceptions about how the music industry really works and hopefully shatter a few dreams and relationships along the way. As the first part is mainly concentrating on the pros and cons of the contemporary decline, we will do all that is in our power to have these articles in printed form only, and not on any meaningless website”.

More information about NIKLAS KVARFORTH and SHINING can be found here.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Shining Website: www.shiningasylum.com

SWEDEN’S SHINING HEADS FOR CROATIA AND SLOVENIA

Sweden’s SHINING will head for Croatia and Slovenia next year to play two festivals in countries in which the band has rarely appeared before.  First up will be the Burning Sea Festival in Zadar, Croatia on the 8^th June, followed by Metal Days, in Tolmin, Slovenia on the 25^th July.  SHINING has so far also been confirmed to appear at the RAGNAROK festival in Lichtenfels, Germany, in April.

Founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth recently announced that he would be publishing a book containing all the lyrics he has ever written and which, rather than allowing them to be translated by a professional translator and thereby risk losing the emotions that went into them,  he himself has translated into English from the original Swedish.  The first edition paperback, “When Prozac No Longer Helps”,  will be hand-numbered in the author’s own blood and will be published on the 7^th December.  In order to ensure that genuine fans can get hold of the book, “When Prozac No Longer Helps” will only be available through the SHINING web shop and can be pre-ordered here.

SHINING this week released their eighth full length album  ”Redefining Darkness” on Spinefarm Records.  In a departure from the band’s usual habit of including the album number in the title, ”Redefining Darkness” contains no number, but still maintains all the complexity and distinct character that sets SHINING apart from so many of the identikit bands that proliferate on the scene today. More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website.

ADDITIONAL  INFORMATIONShining on Facebook | Shining Webshop | Shining Website
Management: nelli.ahvenlahti@gmail.com
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SHINING: NIKLAS KVARFORTH To Publish Book Of Lyrics

A book containing all the lyrics ever written by SHINING founder and frontman Niklas Kvarforth is set to be published on the 7^th December.  The title will be “When Prozac No Longer Helps” and the first edition will be hand-numbered in the author’s own blood. The following statement regarding the publication of the book has been issued by Kvarforth:

“Far too long I’ve been pestered each and every day by people from all around this disgusting planet asking if I can translate this or that lyric into English. Up till a few months ago this seemed to be an impossible task due to the poetic style I use when writing Swedish. However, after several months of frustration I put something truly horrific together and was so pleased with the result that I decided to collect them all and publish them in the form of a book.

“I don’t think many of you are truly interested in reading these even though you say you are.  As we all know, it is “true” to state you really do care about the lyrics of a band like SHINING, but that’s probably the only reason you say so.  However, I might be proven wrong.  And to anyone bitching about the high price, well, it cost tons of money to print a fine edition in such a low quantity, and I am certainly not into charity.”

To ensure that everyone who is genuinely interested in the book gets a chance to get a copy, “When Prozac No Longer Helps” will only be sold through SHINING’s webshop and is now available to pre-order here.

ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION

Shining on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial

Shining Webshop: http://www.shininglegions.com

Shining Website: www.shiningasylum.com

Management: nelli.ahvenlahti@gmail.com

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SHINING REVEALS HISTORY BEHIND NEW VIDEO STORYLINE

Following yesterday’s exclusive release through the internet press of their new video for the track "Tillsammans Är Vi Allt" from the band’s seventh full length album "VII / Född Förlorare", SHINING have today released the video on their own YouTube channel, and have revealed the real history behind the storyline. The video can be seen below or here.

Contrary to how the video has been interpreted by both some press and fans alike, who have mistaken it for a simple glossy music video, there is, in fact, a symbolism behind it, one which both SHINING frontman Niklas Kvarforth, and guest vocalist Håkan "Nordman" Hemlin, are all too familiar with. Taking as its theme a wedding between a dominant and corrupting groom, portrayed by Kvarforth, and a desirable and deceptively innocent bride, portrayed by Swedish model December Wiklund, the video uses their marriage to symbolise the insidious effects of substance abuse. By the end of the video, the roles have been reversed, with the bride having complete control over the groom, in the same way that substance abuse becomes a marriage between the drug and the user, subtly taking over and destroying the addict’s life, and leaving him unable to give up the very thing that is destroying him.

The "Tillsammans Är Vi Allt" video is more than a trite music video replete with the mandatory titillation of sex and blood. It is Kvarforth’s vision of a life-consuming obsession depicted through imagery, as opposed to simply music and lyrics. Both Kvarforth and Hemlin, who appears in live footage throughout the video, have experienced the effects of substance abuse in the past. They have survived the obsession that has destroyed others and come through to the other side with more control of their lives, but their performance both live and on the album itself clearly shows that re-living that past brought a sense of anguish to their interpretation.

Live footage was filmed during the band’s appearance at the Club Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland, in October of last year. The concept itself was created by Kvarforth, working together with director Martin Strandberg, who was behind SHINING’s first video "Förtvivlan, Min Arvedel" and with photographer Martin Eriksson of Hill Fifty and producer Jussi Hyttinen of FLC 415, to bring to life the blood infused, disturbing vision of addiction and obsession that anyone who has been there will recognise.

SHINING’s eighth full-length album, “Redefining Darkness", is due for release on Spinefarm Records on October 29th. More information about SHINING can be found on the band’s website.

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Management: nelli.ahvenlahti@gmail.com
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