Forsvinn Harifran!/Swollen Head - Split

Labels: Puukotus-Levyt/sStarving Light Collective

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 24 Nov 2021

Tracklist:

1. Forsvinn Harifran! - Hela Söderort Hatar Polisen

2. Forsvinn Harifran! - Tillåt Pyroteknik På Läktaren

3. Forsvinn Harifran! - Dö Rasister Dö

4. Forsvinn Harifran! - Statens Institut För Rasbiologi

5. Forsvinn Harifran! - Djurgårdsjävlar

6. Forsvinn Harifran! - Kniven Mot Ansiktet

7. Forsvinn Harifran! - Tills Jag Är Död

8. Forsvinn Harifran! - IQ Som En Frukostflinga

9. Forsvinn Harifran! - Sparka På Bollen

10. Forsvinn Harifran! - Åh Vi Hatar AIK

11. Forsvinn Harifran! - Pizza, Öl, Krig

12. Forsvinn Harifran! - Varför Förstör Polisen Stämningen?

13. Swollen Head - Slavery

14. Swollen Head - Last Meal

15. Swollen Head - Coins

16. Swollen Head - Execution

17. Swollen Head - Meat Head

18. Swollen Head - Sanitary Towels

19. Swollen Head - Fifteen Squares

20. Swollen Head - Election

21. Swollen Head - Zebra Crossing

22. Swollen Head - No Sense Of Humour

23. Swollen Head - Heavy Speed

24. Swollen Head - Swollen Head

I can't remember the last time I reviewed a release this long. This split features twenty four tracks of Swedish and Finnish noisecore/powerviolence from solo projects Forsvinn Harifran! and Swollen Head, respectively. It was released late last year on lathes by Puukotus-Levyt and on tapes by Starving Light Collective. I know that there's a link to Finnish hardcore band Sick Urge via Swollen Head,  but that's all I know. If you know more and you read this review. please don't hesitate to drop your knowledge in the comments!

Before I start this review proper, I want to point out that the order in which I’m reviewing these songs may not be correct. The release is available for streaming via Swollen Head’s bandcamp and as such the band’s songs are listed first in the running order (which makes complete sense) but elsewhere I’ve seen the tracks by Forsvinn Harifran! listed first, so I’m doing them in that order. It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things but hey ho.

Starting with Forsvinn Harifran!, you’re presented with uber noisy fastcore that’s semi-improvised. You’ll be lucky if songs here pass the fifteen second mark, but when songs like ‘Tills Jag Är Död’ and ‘IQ Som En Frukostflinga’ do they provide slightly sludgier tones. Songs including the opener ‘Hela Söderort Hatar Polisen’, ‘Sparka På Bollen’ and just about all the rest from FH! are made out of pure chaos. This is all the work of one person and that’s mind-blowing to me. I’m reminded of some of the Mind Ripper Collective (short-lived but rad UK fastcore/pv label) bands like Endless Swarm and Godhole while listening. 

Swollen Head’s side of the split is no less intense. In fact you’d be hard pressed to tell the band apart from Forsvinn Harifran! if I’m being honest. That’s no bad thing though as they share a similar bond. There’s a gritty/screechy approach here, with the likes of ‘Execution’ and ‘Meat Head’ being especially striking to me. As with FH!, the fact that Swollen Head’s music is written,  composed and recorded by one man is pretty nuts. On ‘Election’ and indeed throughout I do get hints of The Body showing through, but that one might be an obvious name to draw out of the had. Like FH!, Swollen Head is still pretty unique sounding.

If you’re a returning reader you’ll notice that I haven’t over-analysed this release like I usually do. Twenty four songs is stretching it for me in terms of descriptive originality (not something I profess to be great at anyway!). This split is great though, especially if you like it fast and loud. There are plenty of reasons to enjoy both Forsvinn Harifran! and Swollen Head, not least because they’re from Scandinavia, which is synonymous with stupidly productive musicians. 

FFO: Endless Swarm, Godhole, The Body, Sick Urge, Nak’ay

Stream and purchase the whole split digitally below:-

You won't find either band on social media (at least I didn't anyway!)

You can purchase tapes via Starving Light Collective here (though I don't know if it is their main site) - https://www.localgymsandfitness.com/Starving-Light-Collective

I can't find any store/site/social media pages for Puukotus-Levyt but here's the FB page for Starving Light Collective - https://www.facebook.com/starvinglight/