ALBUM REVIEW: Nerd Icon – Henrik Palm
For those unfamiliar, HENRIK PALM is a prolific Swedish multi-instrumentalist who has collaborated with the likes of IN SOLITUDE, GHOST and THE VIAGRA BOYS. His previous solo outings have been a melting pot of post-punk, 80s goth and stomping stoner rock and have met with critical acclaim. With such a varied musical CV, it would be difficult to guess where he might venture next. But with the release of his third solo album, Nerd Icon, Palm has reached the final frontier: space. If space were filled with the arcane nightmares seen in the likes of 1997’s cult classic film, Event Horizon.
At just under 45 minutes, Palm has crafted a soundscape of KILLING JOKE at their most nihilistic, infused with classic rock riffs and underpinned by synths that conjure up the cosmic horror of HP Lovecraft. The album opens with the aptly titled Instrumental Funeral, a four-and-a-half minute swirling soundscape that could fit comfortably on MASTODON‘s ethereal masterpiece Crack the Skye.
On Subway Morgue and (Lunch) Hour Of The Wolf the hard rock stomp is dialled up, while still featuring Palm‘s otherworldly flourishes that keep it from being run-of-the-mill. The riffs are then pushed to the sideline for Talismanic Love, a synth-heavy ballad acting as a welcome change of pace from the one-two punch of the first two tracks.
Track five is where Palm‘s amalgam of influences comes together for standout track Swim Into The Light. Taking heavily from 80s goth and post-punk, grinding riffs are supplemented with obtuse yet catchy hooks and a chorus that will be stuck in your head from the moment you hear it. This is where Palm is at his best, creating songs that are abrasive and unsettling while not forgetting the art of making a cracking chorus.
All of that is thrown out the window for From The Grave, a seven-minute creeping mix of ominous piano and whispered vocals that builds to an explosion of discordant saxophone for the final moments. Bouncing back from the darkness, second instrumental track Back To Abnormal changes the pace with light acoustic guitar and synths, with the sounds of an old 20th century tune echoing through the background like a faint broadcast reaching out from the depths of space.
The album culminates with the goth tinged BEATLES-esque epic, Many Days. Palm’s previous work with GHOST shines through here, with majestic soloing reminiscent of his previous outfit’s breakthrough album Meliora. Many Days is surprisingly uplifting, until it breaks into a final 15 seconds of distortion and screaming before coming to an abrupt end.
Nerd Icon is an album that doesn’t like to sit still. It bounces around between various influences during its relatively short runtime, never lingering before an idea becomes stale. What keeps this cohesive are the cosmic soundscapes that thread the album together and the lingering sense of dread that you can’t shake from even its brightest moments. Nerd Icon is a unique piece of work from one of the most interesting talents of the underground.
Rating: 8/10
Nerd Icon is set for release on April 19th via Svart Records.
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