Though every album lands into our grabby hands with a visual artistic adornment of some sort, and that representation may reflect in the music to varying extents, a lot of compositions don’t rely on the strength of that accompaniment for a full impact. To an extent, our eyes get the opportunity to shop before our ears in the modern day, with absurd band names and grand images (or conversely, the rejection of AI images) standing on lists and tag trees as important first impressions where a faceless radio single may have filled in before. Järnbörd takes the idea a step further using their own narrative recordings to adorn their grind-loaded messages with a fun cinematic flair—Filmer för blinda (films for the blind) indeed. I don’t speak a lick of Swedish though, so I haven’t the slightest clue what they’re saying. But that’s the beauty of mood and a killer riff, right?
On past affairs like their 2021’s Gör Om, Gör Fel, Järnbörd boasted a blackened punk feel in line with their countrymen in Martyrdöd, though finding a little more pleasure still in recorded diatribes and even harsh electronics remixes to accompany. These Malmö-based miscreants fancy themselves on the experimental side, with the noise-minded cuts and misanthropic monologues presenting like the abstract nature of Need to Control (Brutal Truth) grind or the bass-loaded paranoia of Die Kreuzen. Where Järnbörd before had harbored a tight and familiar sound, Filmer för blinda leans into exploring a romping metalpunk outing enriched by switchboard textures and analog manipulations. Though we can’t glean a vision into the meticulous layering that these Swedes have put into the various layers of electronics and growling instruments that adorn this careful work, Järnbörd’s detail flows through how rockin’ the complete package remains.
No matter how experimental Filmer för blinda turns in its twists down hypnotic asides and moody sermons, Järnbörd brings with them an interesting array of screaming, punky riffage. Finding easy breakaways down blasting and d-beating lanes, bassist Dan Widing1 (Pyramido, ex-Crowpath), much like he did last year with crusty ensemble Hatchend, barrels through accompanying amp lines and alongside relentless barks to tear a wanting pit apart (“Gärning Och Lidande,” “Filmer för Blinda,” “Okomplicerad”). But unlike that faraway Summer of ’69,2 Filmer för blinda wears a more spacious mix that scales well with the crank in volume it deserves. And letting that loudness fly allows Järnbörd’s jangly guitar character to rattle a psychedelic vibe when the beat breaks more industrial and motorik-like (“Rockens Heraldik,” “Flickan i snön”), even finding a brief Morbid Angel chuggening before tripping back into mosh land (“Dött format”).
Continued enjoyment of Filmer för blinda has allowed its quick quips of manufactured atmosphere to creep in as a necessary part of the experience. With most songs dedicating a majority of runtime to ripping and rolling with shouty fervor, the brief noise fizzles and spoken word clips that pepper the first few tracks don’t ever feel overbearing in exposition to the Järnbörd vision. And with one body dedicated to turning dials and crafting oscillating chirps and bleeps,3 the synth integration in the most engrossed tracks feels lively and natural (“Rockens Heraldik,” “Dött format,” “Nu kör vi”). Additionally, Järnbörd invites a wide range of guests to add their unique voices to different recitations—an eerie reading here, a wailing hardcore lashing there (Anna Wagner of Dead Sleep on “Flickan i snön”), and bright harmonized backings abound—which helps this small package of grind feel like a pinball machine that just keeps spitting balls into play.
In its consistency and commitment to self-expression, Filmer för blinda serves a sneaky slab of grind that solidifies Järnbörd as an eclectic, interesting outfit. Part of the success in Järnbörd’s attitude comes in the simplicity of their total assault, albeit refined and reinforced with a monstrous bass identity, a classically manic lead throat, and a thoughtful application of outsider influences. As a grind-wanter at heart, Filmer för blinda’s most skanking and stanking moments—the gnarled title track hook and the constant acceleration of “Okomplicerad”—leave me with pit-satiated but not as battered and bruised as I would hope. Nevertheless, Järnbörd’s charm rests in their ability to tell a story with their craft. And though I need a translator to comprehend their message, I don’t need one to understand their heart.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Labels: Self Release (digital) | De:hinil Records + 7 Degrees Records (vinyl) | Esagoya Records + Hecatombe Records (CD)
Website: jarnboerd.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/jarnboerd
Releases Worldwide: January 10th, 2025
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