ALBUM REVIEW: Forfald – Throwe

Sometimes these intros just seem to write themselves; THROWE are a blackened hardcore band from Copenhagen who take their name from an old English term meaning ‘suffocating death’. The title of their debut album Forfald is the Danish word for ‘decay’, and it all makes a lot of sense as soon as you hit play on the record in question. Forfald is a work of bleak and oppressive violence. It follows in the relatively fresh footsteps of bands like MASTIFF and HELPLESS to provide another compelling entry to the ever-widening pantheon of some of the nastiest and most miserable hardcore one can imagine.

Boasting just seven tracks, Forfald sees THROWE concentrate their efforts into a tight and potent shot of unadulterated hatred. It gets straight to the point with lead single Aerosol Jesus, and it never really lets up from there. Guitars bite, drums blast, vocals bark – all is as it should be for a record like this. Second track Myriader maintains a similar ferocity, this one adding a soaring guitar solo to the band’s already considerable arsenal of intensity. You’ve probably heard stuff like this before, but even so the standard remains high across the board here. The production is spot on too, the band working with producer Jacob Bredahl to capture a sharp and suffocating sound.

While you won’t exactly find a let up on Forfald, it’s not all one gear either. In fact, THROWE’s attack is arguably at its most powerful when they slow things down a touch. Often, they muster a death metal-esque heft which allows listeners to headbang a little more readily than one might be able to with the more breakneck aspects typically associated with blackened hardcore. Hammer & Nails even recalls the thicker groove of The IVth Crusade era BOLT THROWER for example; it’s steady, hypnotic even, with tremolo leads and throat-seared vocals ensuring it remains within a generally blackened realm. Livslede arguably riffs harder still, while the title track’s quieter start provides a fleeting but welcome dynamic shift in proceedings.

Lyrically, Forfald sees THROWE addressing personal struggles in both Danish and English. Admittedly, even those in our own language are hard to pick out, but the passion and fury of vocalist Kim Rock remains clear and compelling throughout. Those provided for the aforementioned Aerosol Jesus are particularly savage, with Rock screaming “I’ll take the sun in my mouth / And leap into the ripe air / Dash against the darkness / And drink the wild air as I rise”. Whatever that actually means, you can’t deny it sounds pretty damn sick.

Ultimately, there’s no getting away from the fact that Forfald is largely relentless in its misery. If you’re looking for something to lighten the mood, you’d probably best move along. If you can handle the hatred though, there is much to like about this record. It’s a good length, it sounds great, and every song holds up as a solid individual offering. All this makes it easy to go back to, with THROWE comfortably earning their place alongside the many others exploring just how deep into the void hardcore can really go.

Rating: 8/10

Forfald is set for release on April 29th via Deathbird Records.

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