Noise Aholic - Narcissistvarld

Labels: Elitbolaget

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 25 Mar 2022

Tracklist: 

1. Förlägen och förevigt vilsen (feat. KjellHell, Jacob Björnfot and Matias Löfman)

2. Du är ingenting värd (feat. Mathias Lillmåns)

3. Vakna upp

4. Vad fan har ni uppnått?

5. Allt handlar om dig (feat. Dario Kåll and Otto Kaalikoski)

6. Bortkastad, hatad och ensam

7. Alla jävlar lider

8. Ignoransens ansikte (feat. Marco Lindholm)

9. Avskild och förglömd (feat. La55e Dog, Otto Kaalikoski and Matias Löfman)

10. Narcissistvärld (feat. KjellHell and Matias Löfman)

Long story short, I was supposed to write about this album on the night of it's release on March 25th, but I forgot. That isn't like me at all and for that reason I would like to apologise profusely to Owe Inborr of Noise Aholic and also Matias Lofman of Elitbolaget, who originally reached out to me about it. Narcissistvarld is the debut album of Owe Inborr (also of Dispyt and Ondfodt) from Finland. For the album, Owe enlisted a large number of musicians and friends from various bands, including Bob Malmstrom,  Dispyt, ...and Oceans, Kvaen and many more. It features 10 songs filled with crust punk and d-beat.

Narcissistvarld isn’t an album that hangs around long, which is good because it’s not the norm for an album where a solo artist is joined by a lot of guests. Most are quite long and self-indulgent from previous experience but not here. Album opener ‘Förlägen och förevigt vilsen’ sets out Noise Aholic’s stall for the night with a rip-roaring clash of rabid punk and hair-swinging heavy metal flair, packaged up as only Finnish musicians know how.

‘Du är ingenting värd’ continues at exactly the same pace and it reminds me a bit of equal parts Turbonegro and Kveletak (and yes I know they’re both from Norway!). The music is incredibly uptempo and aggressive but also fun! There’s no time to dwell on that fact though as ‘Vakna upp’ immediately springs into life, once again proving that the precise drumming wasn’t just a fluke (I hope it’s not a drum machine after saying that!), while the guitar work is just as expertly played. The vocals are definitely routed in hardcore and the gang-sections are great.

‘Vad fan har ni uppnått?’ goes even harder than the songs it follows, with a greater sense of urgency and attitude. Punk has always varied greatly, sometimes even more so than metal and this album proves why. ‘Allt handlar om dig ‘ contains the most abrasive vocals so far, which seem to come from a place of black metal and terror. They add a new layer to the music, which is still utterly mental. Another fantastic guitar solo is added for good measure too, leading you head first into the album’s second half.

‘Bortkastad, hatad och ensam’ kicks it off without hesitation and with no change in approach from Noise Aholic, which is only a good thing. It’s hard to keep up but easy to listen to, if that makes any sense at all. ‘Alla jävlar lider’ brings to mind another comparison in the form of AFI for some reason. Noise Aholic is nowhere near as melodic but there’s something in the depths of their riffs that just hits me here. Not bad company to keep I guess, if comparisons even mean anything.

At this point we’re fast approaching the end of the album and ‘Ignoransens ansikte’ knows that, because it tears it’s way through just over two minutes of throat-ripping powerviolence/crust screams and screeching lead work. If this is how Monday evenings are gonna be for me now, sign me up! Penultimate blast ‘Avskild och förglömd’ is the longest song on the album, not that that means much. I swear the Finnish vocals keep getting better and I genuinely love the heavy metal vibes that flow through it all.

The album’s title track ‘Narcissistvärld’ ends it all in proper breakneck fashion. I can’t really say anything that hasn’t already been said at this point. If you’re looking for an album that’s just straight-up, no-nonsense punk in it’s most vicious form, then look no further. If you also like a bit of flair and some classic riffs, there’s some added flavour here too. I can’t think of a better band name than Noise Aholic to be honest. Does what it says on the tin.

I implore you to stream the hell out of this album below, where it's also available to buy on tape and digitally:-

Rumour has it there could be a vinyl pressing on the way, so watch the socials below:-

Elitbolaget - https://www.facebook.com/Elitbolaget