Monday, January 31, 2011

Herätys - Helvettiin Ja Takaisin EP



Artist: Herätys
Album: Helvettiin Ja Takaisin EP
Year: 2010
Label: La Familia

Tracks:

1. Äääh
2. Hieman Hajallaan
3. Turhuuden Tulva
4. Sokeat Seurjaarat
5. Ei Diagnoosia
6. Tämä Todellisuus

If any of you have talked to me about Swedish hardcore, or hardcore in general for that matter, you’ve probably heard me rave about this band. Herätys released their debut LP early last year. The LP was interesting because the two sides of the record were divided amongst two different recordings of the band: the A-side being much more raw and lo-fi like early Finnish hardcore, and the B-side much more polished, sounding literally like it could have been taken from the last Totalitär record. I loved the LP as soon as I heard it, and this EP is an awesome follow-up.

While this EP is much more akin to the B-side of the LP, I think Herätys really found their own sound on this record, delivering their brand of hardcore with a style and attitude that is distinctly their own. There is still a fair amount of Totalitär influence in the riffing and drumming, but with a lot more differentiation in tempo than the LP, toppled with slogan style lyrical delivery in vein of Discharge in the choruses. Never being a huge fan of the vocal-styling of early Totalitär, Herätys’ Janne is probably one of my favorite hardcore vocalists in a long time. While the band is from Sweden, the lyrics are actually sung in Finnish, lending the vocals to a much more snarling quality. I personally think the vocals were probably better and clearer on the LP, but the vocals on this EP are still raging and so fucking PISSED. Though they may not be one of the fastest or most complicated bands, Herätys and their style of hardcore is a surge of brutal power and pure intensity. You drop the needle on the record and it just explodes out of the speakers! If I ever saw this band live I would probably murder people in the crowd. Just saying. Definitely one of my favorite bands I discovered last year.

You can order this record directly from the label overseas, but Daniel at Sorry State also has them in his distro.


-Jeff

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