Music doesn’t have to be complicated to be good. In the metal, rock, and punk worlds, this holds especially true, with a churning fight riff or stumble-step slam holding just as much power to contort faces and limbs as much as any spider-fingered fretboard fury. Utflod, a young new band from Norway, holds this idea especially dear, with their brief catalog to this point showcasing a fiery attitude and noise-coated spirit. And, now, entering the scene proper with a thirty-minute punk-ambitious full-length, will Efterdønn be Utflod’s first chapter on the path to underground riches?
Despite a simple attack, Utflod does seem to want for more than the typical rip ‘n’ roar of -core-tinged, ideals-driven missions. Well, if you understand Norwegian, you may get more of a lyrical lashing.1 The important thing to understand here is that Utflod translates2 to “discharge.” And while Discharge isn’t the main flavor of hardcore throughout Efterdønn, it feels clear that the d-beat progenitors play a role in the base Utflod identity alongside the metal-forward urgency of Integrity and emotional crust of Martyrdöd. At a quick pass, this modern sort of blackened hardcore sound—jangly, often trem’d chords against a rough vocal identity—sits well in the screamo-adjacent waters of dreamy acts like Blind Girls or grind-leaning burners like Crossed, with Utflod even throwing in three odes to the barely-a-song grind blip (“Du lider,” “Utflod,” “Rier”). For a young band, Utflod wears a lot of hats.
Yet, for a band who knows how to pack a mighty punch with swinging pit-starters and chugging arm-throwers (“Frå eit hjarte,” “Tyrann,” “Primitiv”), Utflod spends a frustrating amount of time doing absolutely nothing. If you had presented me with a bass drag as lethal as the one that opens “Insomnia” and then asked me “Dolph, how should this song end,” I would not have chosen “with a minute or so of bleeps and bloops and silence.” Utflod does this not once, but twice (“Stine”), and, for good measure, they also include a horror film hallway creeper as a mid-album intermission in “Mysteries Doom Santana.” Amongst properly hitting hardcore breaks within tracks and in neighboring tracks—which play straight through as they should (“Askeblot,” “Bygdedyret”)—Utflod proves with little question that they have the chops to shred plenty of good tracks. But with the pacing already stunted by the time that transitional piece lands, it requires a bit of dedication (or a heavy skip hand) to dive into the best of Efterdønn.
For those not dissuaded by Efterdønn’s other introductory bumps, its half-raw aesthetic may push back with a mighty force. Utflod generally presents its riffcraft in a dry and spacious package. Following the crust agenda of thumping bass—not too loud though—Mirko’s dry and growling rumble provides both a quaking platform for hammering riffs (“Insomnia,” “Primitiv”) and spectrum assist for the equally dry guitar escapades. On that front, with little in the way of shrieking leads or whipping solos, vocalist Oda’s highest register yelps and cries land uncontested in the mix. Additionally, with her scathing tirades running front, and center, boosted, and largely stripped of resonance, an ugly sibilance appears at ear-popping moments about many tracks across Efterdønn (“Askeblot” and “Hyklar” offend me the most). Frustratingly, the same high-moisture synth ideas that plague a steady runtime also provide ear relief in solitude, and a comforting wetness to the fizzling, dry vocal performance when acting as a hazy layer (“Insomnia,” “Stine,” “Frå eit hjarte”).
The balance between the crackle and dirt of the underground can often be hard to mix with the polish of standing out, and Utfold makes a valiant effort. At its most exciting, Efterdønn hits with unquestionable hardcore energy and a tasteful blackened edge (“Stine,” “Frå eit hjarte,” “Primitiv”). However, the shuffling punk scuttle that defines Efterdønn’s ever-shifting method of attack comes across as an ineffective indecision more than a well-woven accomplishment. Efterdønn does hit a powerful stride on its back half—easy to digest and thrash and wish I were deep in the pit. But with so many upfront issues, it’s hard to give Utfold the full green light this go-around. Keeping in mind that this is only a debut, though, I have hope that this still-developing act will find a footing in their mighty riffsplorations with a kvltish charm.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Apollon Records | Bandcamp
Websites: utflod.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/utflodband
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024
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