Prog-tinged Swedish heavy rockers Skraeckoedlan — whose moniker I as an ignorant American continue to be proud of myself for spelling correctly — are making a back-by-popular-demand-type return trip to the United Kingdom next month. The yet-underrated riffers have been keeping track of their doings on the social medias via a new series of self-shot DIY videos — vlogs — and have included some new material snippets as a part of that, but I’ve yet to see concrete word of a forthcoming release to follow up on their latest single, Pärlor (discussed here), which they released in January in order to keep momentum rolling from their 2015 sophomore full-length,  Sagor (review here).

As they do, they’ll be keeping good company on this trip, including Prosperina from Wales and Netherlands-based instrumentalists Tank86, the latter of whom will join Skraeckoedlan as support for a couple shows with Monolord as well. The gigs are presented by Snuff Lane, and if you want to keep up with Skraeckoedlan‘s doings as they go, I can’t imagine they won’t have cameras rolling while they’re on the road as well. That’s where the good stuff happens.

Must-see tv follows:

Swedish Fuzz-Forgers Skraeckoedlan Return to the UK Next Month w/ Prosperina & Tank86

Less than a month to go until Swedish fuzzience fiction rockers Skraeckoedlan return to the UK for 10 special headline events.

Heavyweight tag-team support from Welsh prog-pop, post-rockers Prosperina and Dutch high-density, instrumental heaviness TANK86.

Skraeckoedlan and Tank86 are also set to support Monolord for 2 events, as part of Monolords UK tour.

SKRAECKOEDLAN May UK Tour
w/ Prosperina
12/05 – The Wheatsheaf, Banbury
13/05 – The Pit, Swansea
14/05 – Retro Bar, Manchester
15/05 – Mulberry Tavern, Sheffield
16/05 – The Iron Road, Evesham
17/05 – The Arches, Coventry

w/ Tank86
18/05 – Underworld, London (supporting Monolord)
19/05 – Sanctuary, Basingstoke
20/05 – The Junction, Plymouth
21/05 – Exchange, Bristol (supporting Monolord)

Come feel the fuzz!

Flawless artwork, crafted by the exceptionally talented JaneyMonster.

Skraeckoedlan is:
Henrik Grüttner (Guitaring, backup singing)
Martin Larsson (Drumming)
Robert Lamu (Singing/guitaring)
Tim Ångström (Bassing/backup singing)

https://facebook.com/SKRAECKOEDLAN
http://www.skraeckoedlan.com/
http://instagram.com/skraeckoedlan
http://twitter.com/skraeckoedlan
http://www.razziarecords.se/

Skraeckoedlan, “Pärlor” official video

Swedish progressive heavy fuzz rockers Skraeckoedlan aren’t that far removed from their last album — their second, Sagor (review here), it came out about a year ago as their debut on Razzia Records — but the Norrköping four-piece have apparently wasted little time in looking forward. Come January, they’ll release a new two-song 7″ titled Pärlor that leads with a titular cover of long-running countrymen Kent. Coupled with “Eldfagel,” which was recorded during the Sagor sessions and by artwork from Johan Leijon, the new single is very much Skraeckoedlan‘s own despite being a cover. One can hear their Truckfighters-meets-Mastodon sonic blend pushing forward melodically in the hook of “Pärlor” itself, even as their penchant for tonal density and crash continues unabated.

Skraeckoedlan‘s last video, for the Sagor track “El Monstro” (posted here), found them working at a more cinematic level than they had before, and their new clip for “Pärlor” follows suit. Directed by Mats Ek, it seems to tell the tale of a pilgrimage and ultimately an offering being made, though to whom or for what, I’m not sure. Along the way we see a lot — I mean really, a lot — of snow falling on gorgeous Swedish forests and hills, beautiful countryside through which our journeying protagonist traverses at his apparent peril. Sleeping in the snow looks cold as hell, is all I’m saying. But he endures and seems to get where he’s going, and “Pärlor” ends on a creepy enough note to make me wonder if it wasn’t intended to be a sequel in some way to “El Monstro,” which Ek also helmed and still had some performance footage in it, where this one seems to have left that conceit behind entirely.

Bottom line, as the band explains below, is this is their way of paying homage to Kent, who are calling it quits this year after more than a quarter-century of work. Preorders for the 7″ version of the single are available now, and you’ll find those links underneath the clip itself, which I’m thrilled today to be able to premiere.

Please enjoy:

Skraeckoedlan, “Pärlor” official video

The song is a cover version of “Pärlor” written by Sweden’s biggest rock band Kent, who after 26 years together have decided to call it quits. Through a farewell tour this Fall, covering most of Scandinavia they are saying their good byes to a whole generation of people deeply touched and influenced by their music.

For Skraeckoedlan it started out as a somewhat crazy idea that grew more and more intriguing and eventually the song was recorded in an old missionary church in Dalarna, a region in the midst of Sweden very close to their hearts. By recording this version the band was able to try something new and invited them to get in touch and explore their admiration for pop music. By putting their specific stamp on the song this is a shout out to the great masters – Kent – and a tribute to Swedish music in general.

Skraeckoedlan on Kent and “Pärlor”:

During their 26-year long career Kent has really made a huge impact on the music scene in Sweden.

Their way of composing music has always felt free and without rules and I think that’s why this song in particular attracted us so much. I’ve always considered it a heavy and mighty song and it was so much fun to put our stamp on it.

Even though this cover started out as a goofy idea, it turned out to be so much more for us. A tribute to Swedish music and one of the biggest bands this country has ever produced.

The video is made by the amazing Swedish film maker Mats Ek and is also a tribute. We wanted it to portrait the beauty of Sweden – the glorious nature, from which we get so much inspiration from as a band.

So here you go, a homage to the place where we grew up – both musically and visually.

Skraeckoedlan is:
Henrik Grüttner (Guitaring, backup singing)
Martin Larsson (Drumming)
Robert Lamu (Singing/guitaring)
Tim Ångström (Bassing/backup singing)

Skraeckoedlan’s website

Pärlor vinyl preorder

Pärlor vinyl preorder

Skraeckoedlan on Instagram

Skraeckoedlan on Thee Facebooks

Skraeckoedlan on Twitter

Razzia Records

Swedish countrymen heavy rockers Skraeckoedlan and Snowy Dunes will head out together in February to tour in Europe and the UK, where the latter will be making their debut appearance. The two bands, from Norrköping and Stockholm, respectively, each boast a different take on heavy riffing and thickened grooves. As Skraeckoedlan showed on their 2015 outing, Sagor (review here), their link to modern progressive metal is as strong as their link to fuzz rock, and in the meantime, Snowy Dunes self-titled 2015 debut earned accolades far and wide for its naturalist, ’70s-style vibe.

Snowy Dunes will reportedly have their second offering, Atlantis, pressed up and ready to go by the time the tour starts on Feb. 5 in their hometown, and you can hear “Atlantis, Part I” from that album now — a substantial sampler at 19:34 — below, as well as check out Skraeckoedlan‘s video for “El Monstro,” which first premiered here.

UK dates are presented by Snuff Lane, who sent along the following:

Following the success of their debut UK headline appearance, Swedish riffslingers Skraeckoedlan are set to shudder the United Kingdom in February with their comos-shaking fuzzience fiction rock.

With a recent signing to Anders Fride?n (In Flames) record label Razzia Records for the release of ‘Sagor’ (their follow-up to the heavily praised debut ‘Äppelträdet’); the band are set to return to the UK for five special headline events next month.

Joining them are Sweden’s newest neo-psychedelic, 70’s drenched, stoner demons Snowy Dunes, who’ll be showcasing their debut UK appearance.

SKRAECKOEDLAN – SNOWY DUNES – EU-tour 2016
February 5th STOCKHOLM (SE), Undergången
February 6th NORRKÖPING (SE), Arbis, Karateklubben
February 8th MALMÖ (SE), Plan B
February 9th HAMBURG (DE), Bar 227
February 10th COLOGNE (DE), Limes
February 11th OSNABRÜCK (DE), Bastard Club
February 17th OXFORD (UK), The Cellar w/ The Grand Mal (ft. members of Desert Storm and Mother Corona)
February 18th, COVENTRY (UK), Arches Venue w/ Bright Curse
February 19th FALMOUTH (UK), Mono w/ Sergeant Thunderhoof, Cybernetic Witch Cult
February 20th BRISTOL (UK), Stag and Hounds w/ Sergeant Thunderhoof
February 21st LONDON (UK), Black Heart w/ Bright Curse, Elephant Tree
February 25th NIJMEGEN (NL), De Onderbroek (D&ESR)
February 26th DEN HAAG (NL), Musicon (D&ESR)

https://facebook.com/SKRAECKOEDLAN
http://www.skraeckoedlan.com/

http://www.facebook.com/snowydunes
http://snowydunesofficial.bandcamp.com/

Skraeckoedlan, “El Monstro” official video

Snowy Dunes, “Atlantis Part I”

Squidman’s ink is hardly dry on Skraeckoedlan‘s new album, Sagor (review here), but the Norrköping and Borlänge four-piece today premiere a brand new video for “El Monstro,” and it’s a title proportional to the fuzz wall Skraeckoedlan build in the song itself. Their second full-length, Sagor is a logical step forward from their 2011 debut, Äppelträdet (review here), but it pushes even deeper into the band’s world of massive riffing and suitably monstrous creatures. In addition to “El Monstro” and “Squidman,” we get “Mothra,” “Gigantos” and others, and all of these beasts seem to do battle as Sagor‘s high-impact 53 minutes play out in swells of triumphant tone and neo-progressive blood and thunder.

I’ve likened Skraeckoedlan to some combination of impulses garnered from Truckfighters and Mastodon before, and I stand by that in terms of what they bring tonally and in the sheer largesse of their groove, but as “El Monstro” ultimately demonstrates, they’re readily able to create something of their own from these core elements. Joining vocalist/guitarist Robert Lamu, guitarist/vocalist Henrik Grüttner, bassist/backing vocalist Tim Ångström and drummer Martin Larsson on the track in question is Matilda Mård, whose singing plays back and forth off a central riff in airier verses, the band showing themselves as capable of subtlety as well as pummel — though there’s plenty of that to go around.

Further along that same point, check out the song about 5:30 into the video’s total 6:33, the way it volume-swells in and out, almost like distorted tape, but obviously on purpose and with the intended (and successful) effect of adding nuance to what’s essentially repetition of that same central riff. Instead of just rolling through measures, Skraeckoedlan find a way to make their material do more work for them, and both “El Monstro” and Sagor as a whole are stronger for it.

Sagor is out now on Razzia Records. Please find “El Monstro” below, followed by some more info and comment from the band, and enjoy:

Skraeckoedlan, “El Monstro” official video

Swedish fuzz/sludge rockers SKRAECKOEDLAN are releasing the music video for “El Monstro”. The track is the second single from the band’s critically acclaimed album Sagor – released via Razzia Records – and features guest vocals from Matilda Mård. The video is directed by Mats Ek.

“We wanted to create a imaginative feeling and show the beauty of the Swedish evergreens. There is something very magical about our deep forest.”

Skraeckoedlan’s website

Skraeckoedlan on Instagram

Skraeckoedlan on Thee Facebooks

Skraeckoedlan on Twitter

Razzia Records

It won’t take long into Skraeckoedlan‘s “Flod” for the point to sink in. The song, which comes from their awaited second album, Sagor, boasts Truckfighters-style fuzzy smoothness, and a densely-weighted roll, melody and catchy vibe. My impression from what they say about working with different producers is that the record is actually pretty varied, but in giving a first impression, “Flod” — the title of which translates to “river” — seems to get things off to a solid start.

When the Swedish four-piece decided to change the title of their upcoming LP from Gigantos to Sagor, I’m not sure, but they’ve aligned themselves to Razzia Notes, a label headed by In Flames vocalist Anders Fridén, so they’ve no doubt gotten a bit of a push leading up to the June 10 release. Sagor will be the follow-up to 2011’s Äppelträdet (review here), and no doubt the complexity of the recording process will turn out to have been a factor in its somewhat delayed arrival.

Better late than never, though, and even if you didn’t hear the first outing, “Flod” should still be able to find solid footing. The video shows off a predilection toward classic sci-fi — they’ve begun to use the phrase “fuzzience fiction” — and spaced out themes, and that only adds to the charm of the song itself.

Clip follows here. Please enjoy:

Skraeckoedlan, “Flod” official video

Skraeckoedlan is ready to release their new album, titled “Sagor”. It was recorded in multiple studios during a two year period and features collaborations with several technicians and producers such as Daniel Bergstrand (In Flames, Meshuggah) and Niklas Berglöf (Ghost, Den Svenska Björnstammen). Erik Berglund has done the mixing and has been an integral part in finding the sound of the album.

When working with “Sagor”, Skraeckoedlan got in contact with Anders Fridén and his record label Razzia Notes, who will release the record.

The album “Sagor” will be released June 10th.

Skraeckoedlan’s website

Skraeckoedlan on Thee Facebooks

Razzia Records

Razzia Records on Thee Facebooks

Sonic diversity within the confines of genre is rare enough, but when one encounters a band like I are Droid, it’s a fitting reminder that those who actually cross boundaries after acknowledging them are in much scarcer supply. I are Droid‘s second album for Razzia Records, The Winter Ward — their first outing was 2008’s cleverly-titled I are Debut — is such a release, culling together elements of modern alternative and classic heavy rock and marrying them with a vast array of sonic textures in the form of synth and programming. To give some basic idea of how that works, one might look at a song like “Kill it Good,” fourth on the album and among its most infectious tracks. On the surface, you have the trio of guitarist/vocalist Peder Bergstrand (once and again of Lowrider), bassist/backing vocalist Jens Lagergren and drummer Fredrik Okazaki Bergström, who proffer excellently composed and performed, driving rock and roll, but under that and running along with it there are layers of synth worked in and midi that comes courtesy of Bergstrand and producer/mixer Daniel Bergstrand. Not only do these electronic elements become essential to the overall listening experience of The Winter Ward, providing a bed for the strong hooks of “22:22,” “Feathers and Dust,” “Constrict/Contract” and “Kill it Good,” among others on the 11-track/46-minute offering, but they create an immersive depth in the mix that puts the audience in a different headspace while hearing the album almost without realizing it. They’re the world in which the songs happen, but they’re also part of the songs themselves, and it’s not necessarily appropriate to think of them as separate — the builds in “Feathers and Dust” and “22:22” can attest to that, as the synth not only matches the forward motion of the other instruments, but is another, essential piece of the whole. Shades of Bergstrand‘s desert guitar tonality and fuzz show up in cuts like “Leaving Ground” (the longest on the album at 6:26) and the particularly Queens of the Stone Age-esque guitar progression in the verse of “Given is Given,” but even this is shifted and directed to suit I are Droid‘s more complex, more nuanced purposes. The real triumph of the record is that it’s pop.

It would be fascinating enough for I are Droid to put together a collection of songs using these methods and have it be a fucking mess, unstructured and dense with self-indulgence, but that’s not how The Winter Ward plays out. These songs have hooks of nearly unbearable potency, and at the heart of all this stylistic breadth there resides an adherence to classic, immediately familiar verse/chorus construction that makes a cut like the percussion-centric “Odes” as accomplished in terms of basic songwriting as it is aesthetically. Couple that with crisp production — Daniel Bergstrand‘s name might be familiar from his recording/mixing work for Meshuggah, In Flames, Behemoth, Devin Townsend, and so many others; the drum sounds here is a sure tell of metal roots, whatever context surrounds — intricate, headphone-worthy mixing and Peder‘s dynamic vocal sensibilities and The Winter Ward becomes even more accessible, the lyrics of opener “Then, at 15” setting a wistful, reflective tone for the rest to follow that stays general enough to be universally relatable. This mood perfectly suits Peder‘s voice, which arrives melodic over an initial salvo of synth tings before the chugging guitar/bass and deceptively weighted drum thud begins and “Then, at 15” starts both its hurried push and lyrical coming of age narrative. For as long as there’s been popular music, that’s been a theme of it, but I are Droid use the opener effectively as a point from which to expand — the subsequent “With Lowered Arms” and “Given is Given (Part I)” both drawing on some of the same sweet melancholy while broadening the palette overall, the second track maximizing an open, airy feel while “Given is Given (Part I)” grounds the overarching flow with an encompassing melody in the vocals and guitar, which dominates accompanied by Lagergren‘s bass. The methodology holds for the next couple tracks, as “Given is Given (Part I)” feeds into the ultra-catchy “Kill it Good” and “Feathers and Dust,” each of which efficiently toys with the balance of rock and electronic progressivism, pushing to one side or the other for any given verse or chorus, a double-edged hook emerging in “Kill it Good” that stands as one of The Winter Ward‘s strongest, though certainly there’s no shortage of competition.

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My motivations for posting this video for the song “Given is Given (Part 1)” from Swedish trio I are Droid‘s upcoming sophomore album, The Winter Ward are twofold. First, it’s fuzzy and Swedish, so it’s kind of a no-brainer that I’d put up a post about it anyway. That’s kind of my thing. Second, that dude in the middle up there reluctantly removing his hood is none other than guitarist/vocalist Peder Bergstrand, former and apparently once again frontman for Lowrider.

And with the announcement a couple weeks back that those seminal Swedish stoner mavens have reunited for a one-off at next year’s London Desertfest, yeah, you could say there’s an added level of interest there. In I are Droid, Bergstrand is joined by drummer Fredrik Okazaki Bergström and bassist Jens Lagergren. The Winter Ward is due out early in 2013 on Razzia Records, and sometime in the next couple weeks, I’ll be running an interview with Bergstrand about the Lowrider reunion, how it all came about, how it plays into working with I are Droid, and so on.

As it’s nice to have a little context for that kind of thing, here’s “Given is Given (Part 1).” Please enjoy: