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Released on February 23, 2015 via Southern Lord
Halshug are a Danish crust-punk band, based in Copenhagen, whose name translates into English as “behead” – believe me, you already know what this record sounds like. Recently signed to Southern Lord on the strength of Dödskontrol, a smashing little EP, they are new additions to the d-beat charge that Southern Lord is leading at the moment, to great effect.
First things first, Halshug are brilliant. As a big fan of the genre and all the new blood Greg Anderson is pumping into it, Halshug place themselves squarely at the catchier, punkier end of what is usually a messier, more violent sound (see Nails). Don’t get me wrong, Halshug still sound like a drunken fight in a dog pound, but there are choruses and riffs here, along with a definite Dead Kennedys influence in the guitars, and drums which owe a lot to the manic playing of Crass’ Penny Rimbaud.
The album runs around the standard length for d-beat – eight songs in 17 minutes – but my god do they pack a lot in. The title track is the longest at 2:46, and is arguably the most straightforwardly punkish offered here, with plenty of floor toms and buzzing guitar. The guitar work separates Blodets Bånd from a lot of other releases in that it doesn’t seem afraid to occasionally venture past the twelfth fret when appropriate, to noodle around up there for a bit.
The stand out tracks are ‘Total Destruktion’, ‘Inferno’ – whose drumming is shoulder-shatteringy impressive, and to which you air drum at your peril – and final track ‘Kvælende Frygt’, which abounds with abrupt time changes and even throws in a few additional guitar lines for good measure, towards the end of the song, to send you on your way. To think that they only formed two years ago. Blimey.
