In the year 2020, as the world came to a screeching halt, Esoteric Recordings put out a 3-CD compilation called Living on the Hill: A Danish Underground Trip 1967-1974. It covered the period of not only the music, but the social scene at the end of the ‘60s in Denmark where groups were inspired from bands and artists such as Frank Zappa, Jimi Hendrix, Traffic, and Pink Floyd.
In the liner notes from the compilation, Mark Powell described the scene as “The common thread among all of these artists was an emphasis on experimentation and a desire to push the perceived musical boundaries”. Bands like Ache, The Savage Rose, Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe, Young Flowers, and Alrune Rod had a big impact from critics and artists such as Lester Bangs, David Fricke, and Julian Cope, who did an Unsung feature on the scene nearly 20 years ago from his Head Heritage website.
Many years later, the Danish trip is still growing stronger than ever. For De Forbandede, who have been around since 2015, they’re carrying that flag with a big smile on their face, knowing that they’re keeping that legacy alive. Their latest album, Menneske is a double album that details the themes of human existence, both good and bad, and in the past, present and future.
Taking in aspects of Sabbath, Monster Magnet, Baby Woodrose, Hendrix, Sci-Fi, ‘60s horror, and the ‘80s poets from Denmark, De Forbandede are a band that bring in the heavy guns. ‘Omvendt Tyngdekraft’ has a strong rumble of a ‘60s Farfisa organ from Buur before Christensen lays down some heavy brutal chords and leading midsections that spread like wildfire.
‘Brænd Mig Nu’ will get your engines in hyper-speed as you head to the Beaches in South Padre Island, get your surfboard ready, and hit the waves like there’s no tomorrow whilst ‘Vinger’ opens up with a Doors-sque vibration, then heading down to a brutal awakening in the midsection as they call up to the heavenly gods with dire consequences.
The Christensen brothers, Rasmussen, and Buur are a perfect combination to lend each other a helping hand. Peter just goes in for the attack as he hits those heavy lead sections to Michael, who knows that once he comes in, he knows when to pull out while Ricky makes certain that he and Peter have each other’s back.
That’s what De Forbandede are. Not just band mates, but a band of brothers who have kept the music alive and well, and never letting the fire hit the waters. Because the flames need to spread with amazing results.
Speaking of flaming fires, ‘Sort Inferno’ hits your stomach with a hardcore punch. Rasmussen comes centre stage to climb the fiery mountains by walking up this spiral staircase with epic proportions.
Meanwhile, ‘Husk Du Skal Dø’ sounds very much like a heavier approach to The Anchoress’ Confessions of a Romance Novelist. You can imagine the band were paying tribute to Catherine Anne Davies, and she visions herself giving the band a stamp of approval, and writing a sequel to the Confessions story line.
The closing title-track which brings the story to an end, the band channels unsung German band Ainigma and their only 1973 debut album, Diluvium. In the song, they’re channeling the styles of ‘All Things are Fading’ in the arrangements.
There are the fighting demons, the painful images of the past and present, being at war with yourself, and never knowing when you’re going to be free from all the chaos that’s occurring. It’s very much like a ticking time-bomb waiting to go off at any second.
Menneske may take a while to get into, but the way that De Forbandede have handled this bad boy, is to prove listeners on how real good music is supposed to be done from start to finish. And it’s a real corker that is waiting for you.
