ALBUM REVIEW: Remains – Horndal

Swedish metal/punk troupe HORNDAL draw from personal heritage and history on their debut album Remains which follows on from their acclaimed 2017 debut self-titled EP, and was recorded with Steve Albini (BIG BLACK/SHELLAC). Through Remains, they retell the true life horror story of how their home town got left for dead in the 1970s, as a result of the steel mill which was the heart of Horndal’s community and the livelihood of many residents being closed down. This ultimately turned the once small and quaint industrial centre into a barren ghost town and is depicted metaphorically as a shadow being cast over the town by the devil in order to present the workers an early grave.

The tale in itself provides a rich spate of material to gain influence from and fashion into a thrilling body of work, but the sentimentality felt by and how personal the story is to HORNDAL colours their heritage narrative Remains with a profound emotion that makes this a record you can really believe in when listening. It’s easy to envision the terror occurring and sense the pain being translated by HORNDAL from a true and heartfelt place.

Sweeping riffs induced in the horror Horndal suffered drive the project with a biting tenacity, as the band warn a listener not to get too close; to be wary of the tragedy as it’s happening. Tracks like Hin seek to instil a feeling of panic and anxiety that slightly unease and hint at an impending doom.

HORNDAL whisk us up and away – across this forsaken, desolate Swedish municipality that the band take their name from, to lead the listener on a tour of the location as it suffers this tragedy, bringing you face to face with the wretchedness caused. At times the Swedes up the ante with thrilling sections of thrash like intensity such as on Häng Honom, evocative of the haunting situation and painting a tragically painful image with their many hard-hitting anthems.

Remains presents this significant and strong narrative and theme of the small community that can’t fight back being torn apart by the ruthless, sadistic ‘man’. The slightly distant, muffled sounding vocals create this urgency that’s all too aware of the present problem, and a war-chant like quality to the yells of Henrik – eliciting the anger and outrage that would consume many faced with a similar predicament as on opening track Wasteland. Balancing this fierce, desire for justice and reluctance to lie down in the face of adversity, there is a resigned tone that against deepest hopes accepts such a fate cannot be prevented and efforts should be focused on regrouping and rebuilding the community.

In places, HORNDAL feel like a bit of a toned down and less vengeful AMON AMARTH: They’re both Swedish, and share a similar muse in narrative territory so their inspiration sources aren’t worlds apart either, just that one wades deep into viking mythology, and another into their own history. Similarly, you can easily find yourself wandering along with these bands across the lands they lyrically reside in and get lost in a fantastic bout of escapism. Remains has a real purpose to it, attempting to bring some justice and much awareness to the tragedy it is spawned out of – as well as being a cohesive narrative and a momentous listen.

Rating: 7/10

Remains is out now via Prosthetic Records.

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