Honningbarna

Verden Er Enkel

Written by: PP on 26/08/2013 22:27:16

The Norwegian music scene has been booming as of late, what with the meteoric success of Kvelertak, the hyped up Blood Command, and more recently, the punk reincarnation celebrated by Honningbarna (honey children), the latest export from Norway to take the musical world by the storm. Or so I'm told anyway, but I must admit their sophomore album "Verden Er Enkel" does not impress enough to justify all the hype I've been hearing about their fervent live shows.

On surface, you can begin to understand what the fuzz is all about. The band's primary style is rowdy, rock'n'roll fueled punk rock, but they also incorporate elements of garage rock and hardcore into their expression. They also have a particularly explosive style of playing, one which lends itself for highly energetic soundscapes that feel like they're coming right at you from the record. Opener "Dødtid" demonstrates this well, drawing parallels to the uncontrollable punk/hardcore mixture of Refused in places, whereas other material is more nuanced and subtle, feeling like a halfway point between Billy Talent and The Hives, instrumentally at least. And with descriptions like "fresh young anarchism inserted into a cement mixer", all the catchphrases are there for Honningbarna to have an international breakthrough any moment now.

It's a rowdy sound, but it's also one where memorable songs come at a premium, it seems. Yes, "Si Nei" and "Ned" are highlights alongside the "God Jul, Jesus" track (all sung in Norwegian, by the way), but many of the tracks come across as ones where energetic delivery has been prioritized over songwriting. Furthermore, the vocals aren't very good, if you compare them to for example The Bronx, who have written a critically acclaimed record earlier this year in similar style. So while "Verden Er Enkel" has a noteworthy, easily recognizable sound, it needs some more refining before we can truly talk about a breakthrough internationally. More songs like "Si Nei" are needed to capture the attention of the international crowds outside of a live environment.

Download: Si Nei, Ned, God Jul Jesus,
For the fans of: old Billy Talent, The Hives, Blood Command, The Bronx
Listen: Facebook

Release date 06.05.2013
G-Records

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