Suspected Of Arson Records - Suite Green and Alas 'Finnskramz Compilation' Song Premiere

As promised yesterday, I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a two song premiere featuring music from two absolutely brilliant Finnish screamo/emo bands. If you''re at all familiar with this blog, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of heavy Finnish music and when the head honcho of Suspected Of Arson Records wrote to me about a compilation the label was releasing, I didn't think twice about featuring it in some way.

I listened to the full comp and asked if I could feature both songs and to my surprise, Chris was happy to oblige. The two bands (and songs) I'm premiering this evening are Suite Green and their song 'Sometimes' alongside 'En ole siellä' by Alas. Both songs are available to stream via my YouTube Channel below:-

I was spellbound by both of these songs when I first heard them. From the melodic approach of Suite Green to the abrasive majesty of Alas; the variety and complexity of musicianship demonstrated by both  bands here, as well as the others who have contributed to this compilation makes it an obvious listen for anybody who is into heavy and enigmatic screamo.

The comp will be available digitally and on limited tape from Suspected Of Arson Records soon.

Suite Green - https://www.facebook.com/suitegreenband

Alas - https://www.facebook.com/alasyhtye

Suspected Of Arson Records - https://www.facebook.com/tulikuljekanssani/

Note: If any of the above information is incorrect, please let me know and I will correct it. Cheers.

Besra - Equilibrium EP

Labels: Suicide Records

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 01 Nov 2024

Tracklist:

1. An Omen Of...

2. The Final Hour

3. Equilibrium

4. End Of The Horizon

I had nothing review-wise pencilled in for this evening. I usually put together a schedule of sorts based on regular reviews (my ZBR roster reviews for example) and fit more reviews in between. It's basically a vein attempt to convince myself that I'm organised when in reality I'm so far behind on e-mails it's not even fair anymore.

So instead of using the time to catch up, I'm excitedly writing about a new EP that's due for official release on Friday. Coming courtesy of Swedish/Finnish label Suicide Records, Equilibrium is the latest release from Finnish post/prog metal band Besra. It'll be available digitally and follows on from their 2023 full-length Transitions.

Finland’s rich musical heritage has contributed so many bands, whom have been written about multiple times since. Bands including Amorphis, Insomnium, Sentenced, Swallow The Sun (the list goes on) have woven a tapestry of progression, mournful gothic melody, post-metal beauty and deathly aggression all of their own. That is why bands like Besra exist today. On Equilibrium’s opener ‘An Omen Of…’ they encapsulate all of the above to produce a truly epic mix of melody and heaviness. The country’s folklore and personality flows through the song as Besra refuse to give in to outside influences.

Besra’s songs on Equilibrium have an undeniably dramatic feel and tone to them. Listen to ‘The Final Hour’ if you don’t believe me. Glorious post-rock/metal instrumentation is joined by spoken-word vocals, both of which beg it to go on and on, and it does as it flows into the title-track ‘Equilibrium’. A punchier, heavier number that plays to Besra’s progressive strengths as it lets yet more melody in. Reading that people have been comparing them to Cult Of Luna and the like is pretty accurate but I think they definitely have a personality all of their own. Their music is better because of it too.

EP closer ‘End Of The Horizon’ is delivered with excellent precision. Being a sextet with multi-instrumentalists allows for a lot of flexibility and it shows in the expressiveness that exists through all four songs. In the current musical climate, it’s too easy for a band to allow their sound to become too compressed and modern-sounding. I think Besra have got it right here though as they keep things a bit simpler, letting their own instruments and voices do the talking. 

A perfect accompaniment to the winter nights that are drawing in but without cliche. This EP is excellent from beginning to end, warming the heart and cleansing the soul. 

You can stream the title-track and pre-order the EP digitally via Suicide Records below:-

Besra - https://www.besra.band/ / https://www.facebook.com/besraband

Suicide Records - https://www.suiciderecords.se/store/ / https://www.facebook.com/suiciderds

Mutagenic Host - The Genotoxic Demo

Labels: Self-Released/Dry Cough Records/Excarnation Records

Formats: Digital/Tape/CD

Release Date: 19 Jan 2023

Tracklist:

1. Mutagen

2. March Of Pestilence

3. Enforced Bodily Terror

4. Hive Unintelligence

5. Metaphysical Maladies

In January of last year a brand new international death metal band emerged. Made up of members from Finland, USA and the UK, Mutagenic Host self-released their debut The Genotoxic Demo digitally that same month, while UK label Dry Cough Records made not one but two pressings on tape. Fast-forward a year and Brazilian label Excarnation Records released the demo on CD with a slightly different cover (see below).

Opening the demo with the unnervingly ambient, sample-filled intro ‘Mutagen’, there’s no need to second guess whats to come. ‘March Of Pestilence’ does all the guessing for you with it’s filthy, riff-filled death metal. Metallic in places and with harrowing vocals, it takes a bit of time to truly get going percussion-wise but when it does, there’s no escape. 

The excellently titled ‘Enforced Bodily Terror’ conjures up images of unimaginable torture and I guess that’s what Mutagenic Host were going for when they wrote it. It’s very much mid-paced in delivery but to be honest, all of the best death metal is at the slower/sludgier end of the tempo spectrum imo.

‘Hive Unintelligence’ has that slam vibe going on straight from the off, though that vibe is ultimately misleading as the sound morphs into something much more old-school and grinding soon after. The mix of fast and slow tempos really work here as Mutagenic Host reach their true, gruesome stride. 

Demo closer ‘Metaphysical Maladies’ comes at you way too quickly (I feel like I say that a lot!), but in this case it’s definitely true. It’s all down to the pace and song-writing that’s employed by Mutagenic Host, as they bring this impressive first release to a crushing end.

Mutagenic Host align themselves with the NWOBDM (New Wave Of British Death Metal) and they’re in great company. Dry Cough Records, alongside other labels, have been championing the latest wave of British death metal bands lately (including but not limited to Slimelord, Mortuary Spawn, Atvm etc). The future looks decidedly murky and dank, much like state of the nation. It’s almost like it was meant to be.

You can download the demo for just £1 (or more) via bandcamp below:-

Mutagenic Host Instagram - @mutagenichost

Dry Cough Records - https://www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords

Copies of the 2nd tape press from Dry Cough Records can be purchased from the link below:-

https://www.drycoughrecords.com/product/mutagenic-host-the-genotoxic-tape-2nd-run-dc67

Get in touch with Excarnation Records if you'd like a CD copy here - https://www.facebook.com/excarnrecs/

Devil's Gateway - Promised Land / No Escape

Labels: Iron Corpse

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 May 2024

Tracklist:

1. Promised Land

2. No Escape

After a day of work frustrations and a massively lacklustre performance from England at the Euros this evening, only something truly heavy will suffice. Finland's Devil's Gateway fulfils that need with their latest EP Promised Land / No Escape. Containing two songs and coming off the back of their September 2023 full-length Eternal Grind, it was released on tape through Iron Corpse Records alongside a digital release. It's well worth mentioning that this is the duo's third offering in just over twelve months. Productivity like that deserves much closer attention!

Crusty, hellish death/doom with tones of rawness is what’s on offer here. Devil’s Gateway sound just like their name on ‘Promised Land’. Dual-vocals, bass-heavy guitar, crashing cymbals and all manner of murk take you on a ride that goes deeper than you would have anticipated. The overriding sound is that of death/doom but the crust is there later on, adding extra dystopian gloom.

Second song ‘No Escape’ is even more dank and heavy, if that were possible! The sludgy bass threatens to drag it in a powerviolence-esque direction but instead Devil’s Gateway continue on their slow, downtempo trajectory. It’s absolutely perfect in it’s chaotic, distorted droning beauty. It’s a fine way to end this little EP and the yearning for what’s to come is real.

Once again Iron Corpse manages to help unearth another Finnish band that builds on the insanity that the country already delivers musically. I’m a massive fan of Finland’s heavy music community and If you’re reading this review, you probably will be too. If you’re new to it, dive right in. You won’t regret it.

You can stream and purchase the EP on both digital and limited tape formats from Devil's Gateway below:-

You can grab tape copies from Iron Corpse here too - https://www.ironcorpse.com/?product_cat=ironcorpsereleases

Devil's Gateway - https://devilsgateway.bandcamp.com

Iron Corpse - https://www.facebook.com/cultoftheironcorpse

Gates Open - Voice After Silence

Labels: Inverse Records

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 09 Feb 2024

Tracklist:

1. The Awakening

2. Let The Night Become Your Guide

3. Till Death Unite Us

4. A Place Called Home

5. Gates Open

6. I, The Intellectual

7. We Are No More

8. Death

9. Northern Dark

It's been a little while since I last felt the urge to write here and a long while since I last featured new music from Finland. Cue death/thrash duo Gates Open and their debut album Voice After Silence, which was officially released digitally in February via Inverse Records. Gates Open was formed in 2023 by Jere Neejärvi (guitar/bass/drums) and Tommi Manninen (vocals), who were previously members of melodic death metal band Down Into Silence. 

Album opener ‘The Awakening’ was first released as a single back in June of last year. Thankfully, Gates Open didn’t go down the route of just releasing every song (that makes up an album) as a single, which is an odd trend amongst new bands currently. The song is a strong way to kick off Voice After Silence though, with it’s exhilarating thrash metal tempos, melodic guitar work, snarling harsh vocals and even a nod to industrial music too. 

The album’s second single was ‘Let The Night Become Your Guide’. I like how Gates Open unleashed their first two songs as singles. Whether they’re the strongest choices remains to be seen as we make our way through the album, but judging by the moodier atmosphere and the more than articulate guitar solo, this song is certainly one that catches the ear.

Dare I say that Gates Open remind a little of Children Of Bodom. A big name to be compered to but their sound and delivery on ‘Till Death Unite Us’ could easily sit on a Bodom album. There’s nothing subtle about it and nor should there be. Sometimes, good old ripping death/thrash is all that’s needed.  There’s a direction change on ‘A Place Called Home’ as Gates Open slow things down after a nice melodic intro. It has a folk-like/symphonic undertone too, much like that of viking/folk metal bands Ensiferum and Finntroll. It certainly shows that the traditional Scandi sound is still alive and well.

The song that bares the band’s name draws you back into more familiar uptempo territory, while also encompassing black metal influences and synths too while, ‘I, The Intellectual’ follows with a much more heavily layered approach musically. The pace of ‘We Are No More’ is out of this world, especially during the opening bars. It’s the percussion that creates that pace and it carries on throughout the song, adding an extra layer of extremity to the recording. The succinctly titled ‘Death’ is apt as well because it leans much more towards death metal, which Gates Open perform brilliantly in their own style.

Closing out their debut with ‘Northern Dark’, Gates Open provide one final high-octane blast of quality death/thrash. Finland has always had a unique and experimental take on extreme music, and while Gates Open do tap into that sound on Voice After Silence, they also pay great homage to the more straightforward death metal sound the aforementioned Children Of Bodom and also Norther. This is a strong debut overall and Gates Open will surely go on to develop their sound further. A great starting point.

You can stream and purchase Voice After Silence digitally via bandcamp below:-

Gates Open - https://www.facebook.com/gatesopenband

Inverse Records - https://www.facebook.com/inverserecords

Sargassus - The Albatross

Labels: Self-Released

Formats: Digital

Release Date: 19 Jan 2022

Tracklist:

1. Stepping Out Of Time

2. Canine Passage

3. The Albatross

I've had a couple of days off to focus on the usual life stuff and I've been itching to get back to writing again. When I sat down to plan my current review schedule a couple of weeks ago, I knew I wanted to throw some different things into the mix (alongside my ongoing Zegema Beach Records and Dry Cough Records reviews) and along came Finnish prog/post/black metal band Sargassus and their 2022 EP The Albatross. Sargassus released their first EP The Giant back in 2020, before the pandemic truly took hold. They released the single 'Tiamat' during 2021 before the latest self-released EP saw the light of day in January.

As with almost every other Finnish band I’ve ever featured on the blog, Sargassus are a difficult one to pin down. Initially very much a black metal influenced band on EP opener ‘Stepping Out Of Time’, there’s something more avant-garde about their sound. The drums and guitars provide time-signatures that range from straight-forward (and perfect for icy black metal) to more progressive/off-kilter tempos. Sorry I couldn’t pluck actual numbers out of the air for illustrative purposes here, I’m not musically gifted. The vocals are very much out of the black/death stable though.

‘Canine Passage’ is less straightforward, allowing Sargassus to stretch themselves musically and shake off some of the black metal image that the EP’s opener portrays, especially when the clean vocals take over later in the song. It certainly underlines their ability both instrumentally and vocally. No need for sub-genre pigeonholes here, though you’ll probably say I’ve tried!

As the EP’s title track The Albatross begins with it’s striking guitar-work, I realise that the glass of red wine acting as my companion is going down rather well and like a fine wine, Sargassus are going down just the same. There are musical comparisons afoot when listening to them, but I’m not going to waste valuable time writing about that here. This quartet are still finding their feet but this is a very polished and impressive EP, which will only do their longevity the world of good.

I never grow tired of enthusing about bands and their music here, which is why I’m still writing and posting things twelve years on (oops, I forgot about the blog’s anniversary again!). Sargassus are fantastic and also slightly teasing us with their recorded output so far. Here’s hoping a full-length appears on the horizon soon.

You can stream and purchase The Albatross digitally below:-

Sargassus - https://www.facebook.com/sargassusband/

Dome Runner - Conflict State Design

Labels: Self-Released/Starving Light Collective

Formats: Digital/CD

Release Date: 12 Aug 2021

Tracklist:

1. Fuji Cracks

2. Imprisoned Existence

3. Unfollow

4. Impure Utility Of Authoritarian Power Structure

5. The Undemonizing Process

6. In Pain

7. Expire

8. Exit Design

Debut album Conflict State Design was digitally released by Finnish industrial sludge band Dome Runner in August 2021. It was joined by a CD pressing from fellow Finnish label Starving Light Collective around the same time too (at least I believe that to be the case, but correct me if not). I was contacted by both the band and SLC separately sometime ago about it and in typical fashion, I'm finally writing about it now (sorry to all parties involved for the severe delay). Dome Runner started life in 2017 and released their debut demo in 2020.

I’ve never really gravitated towards industrial music but I’m aware that as time passes, tastes change and I am a lover of sludge, so Dome Runner gets my approval. Plus, they’re Finnish so that makes me happy. Album opener ‘Fuji Cracks’ is a bizarre mix of both the aforementioned sub-genres and the experimental, hypnotic nature of Dome Runner’s sound is obvious right away. Oppressive percussion sits alongside droning riffs and vocals that slide between truly harsh reverb-filled screams, and spacey clean singing. Plus the colours used on the cover art remind of Fear Factory’s Soul Of A New Machine (in a very round-about way). 

Obviously, there’s no great similarity between the two bands, aside from the Industrial leanings to my ears, but please tell me what you think. ‘Imprisoned Existence’, much like the album’s opener, contains repeating electronics and a barrage of down-tuned instrumentation. The vocals are delivered with the intensity of a powerviolence band in parts, which is definitely in keeping with the rest of the Starving Light Collective roster. That said, the music here is definitely more mind-opening.

‘Unfollow’ gives you elements of thrash and groove metal with it’s simple but very effective riffage. The crashing percussion/samples render you incoherent while Dome Runner aurally attacks from all directions. I forgot how genuinely refreshing it was to listen to something far removed from what’s been on rotation for me recently (death metal, screamo). So far this album is a great listen.

The longest song on the album is ‘Impure Utility Of Authoritarian Power Structure’ and it’s a swirling mix of tempos and heavy textures. I use the term textures loosely though, as the sound that’s achieved throughout this album is anything but gentle in feel. It takes control of all of your senses and thanks to clever song-writing and sludgy tones, it very much stays on the right side of becoming a noisy, incoherent collage of sound. 

I wasn’t doing Dome Runner a disservice with the final sentence of that last paragraph, as I really dig this and ‘The Undermonizing Process’ shows why, as the band comes into their own with an ear-splitting hybrid of fast/slowness. The more you take this in the more you hear of their musicality. It’s extreme but it’s infectious too and if there was a song that truly summed up Conflict State Design it would be ‘In Pain’, purely for it’s constant groove. It may seem like I’ve run out of things to say at this point, but I’m really just taking a moment to soak it all up. 

‘Expire’ breaks me from my trance and in doing so, it quite bizarrely transports me back to when I was watching Turnstile’s Glastonbury 2022 set on TV from earlier this year (must be the clean vocals). Again, I know neither band are similar in any way. It’s just the colours my head paints. Closer ‘Exit Design’ is a gentle, ambient piece that calmly calls time on proceedings in brilliant fashion.

This is another prime example of why you shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to listen to something new, even if it does take you nearly a year to actually do it (as is my case). Dome Runner are another reason why I hold Finnish music in such high regard. Likewise, Starving Light Collective too. Please give this album a listen if you haven’t done so already.

For Fans Of: Godflesh, Napalm Death, Killing Joke, Kurokuma and Fear Factory

You can stream Conflict State Design and grab it as a name-your-price download from Dome Runner below:-

Dome Runner - https://www.facebook.com/iamdomerunner

I can't find any links to CD copies, but you can contact Starving Light Collective via the below link to see if any copies are still available:-

Starving Light Collective - https://www.facebook.com/starvinglight

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/

PremieRing #2: Letterbombs - Mansuit (from the up-coming Demersal/Piet Onthel/Letterbombs/Vientre Split Tape)

About four years ago I was asked to participate in a four blog premiere, where each blog shared a song from a four-way split LP that featured Massa Nera, Thisismenotthinkingofyou, Yo Sbraito and Ef'il (released via ZBR amongst other labels). It was called the PremieRing. Now I'm super happy to be involved in PremieRing #2, alongside Miss The Stars, Idioteq and Open Mind Saturated Brain.

Once again, we're promoting a four-way split (this time on tape) that's being released by ZBR's sister label Tomb Tree, alongside UK label Witch Elm Records. As with previous splits, it contains bands from different corners of the globe in the form of Demersal (Denmark), Piet Onthel (Malaysia), Letterbombs (Finland) and Vientre (Colombia). It is my great pleasure to be able to share the song 'Mansuit' by Letterbombs. Here's a quick snippet of what they had to say about this one:-

'Lyrically the track is mostly quotes from Donnie Darko (2001). Musically we wanted to try something a bit different. Something more straight forward with some twist and turns here and there.'

(Photo Credit: Ville Luosa)

All four of the bands involved in this split have been super active recently, but if you've missed any of their previous releases for any reason then this one is the perfect place to start! If you love screamo and emo-violence, you'll love this.

Demersal - https://www.facebook.com/DemersalOfficial

Piet Onthel - https://www.facebook.com/pietonthelpunx

Letterbombs - https://www.facebook.com/sendmeletterbombs

Vientre - https://www.facebook.com/vientre7

The tapes are with Tomb Tree already so it won't be long before they're available from them and Witch Elm Records. Here's a peak at the variants, including pictures (minus the test dips though):-

46x clear/blue/purple swirl

20x multi-color swirl

5x red/black swirl

5x test dip w/matching swirl case

Links to their stores and social media pages are below:-

Tomb Tree - 

http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/tomb-tree-tapes / https://www.facebook.com/tombtreetapes

Witch Elm Record -

https://witchelmrecords.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/WITCH-ELM-records

To hear Demersal's track 'No Need For Stories Where We Never Come Alive', make sure you head over to Idioteq's PremieRing article here - https://idioteq.com/premiering-danish-emoviolent-screamo-act-demersal-unveil-new-uncompromising-track-4-way-split-premiering-now.

Also, to hear tracks from Piet Onthel and Vientre, head over to https://www.missthestars.com and https://openmindsaturatedbrain.blogspot.com respectively.

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