Headons (Swe), Ferox (UK), Ep Review

Two political stained Ep´s will be reviewed here. But that is the only similarity.




Headons - Headons på Svenska  (a 3 Song EP, Vinyl)  (Swe)
Side A Allting
            Nej
Side 1  Sjukdomssäng

Rakt åt Helvete Records 2013

A real missile right through my head.

Headons claim that their switch from English to Swedish on this EP “Headons på Svenska” (Headons in Swedish) was because they want the illiterate high school failures to understand what the hell they are singing about. But Headons arn´t alone switching to their native tongues, and by doing so they will sound different. English is the rock n roll tongue and it sounds like Rock n Roll …Swedish however, have more and more been considered as one of the World´s leading punk lyrics language, at least by the bands all over the world that sings Swedish punk songs in Swedish. Headons isn’t any exception. They sound harder and more old school Swedish street punk than what they did on last year´s album “Threepointeight”.

They havn´t lost their roots in the rock n roll punk but added some more hard attitude into it.
It reminds me a bit of such great bands like Ebba Grön, KSMB, Ligisterna and Vänsternäven but it is on their own terms.
It is hard hitting action, angry voices from a country that is getting ruined by a right wing Government. It is pretty much straight forward old school punk ala Ebba Grön, it isn´t in any bad way. The fact that there isn’t one single singer in parts of the songs, but many voices doing the lead, gives an impression of a angry mob that had enough and calling for blood,justice and heads on plates. What I like about it is that it is very angry political but still far from a “smart” Trallpunk “Know it all” single. This is just some bloke next to you on the bus having a bad day armed with a guitar. Sometimes, like in “Nej” the band seems so punky dysfunctional that it´s increasing the feeling of an angry bunch of goons. But they arn´t any goons, it is much brain behind it. Not as catchy as Vänsternäven but I don´t think it was their intention. In all a real punk single.

In the end of last year I predicted that 2013 possible will be the best punk record year ever. There is nothing in this release that proves me wrong. But in a flood of good music that is flooding us now, there is always a risk that some doesn´t get the recognition that they deserve, and I´m afraid that this Headons release will be such a case, not least because a rather dull and lame front cover (or is it just ugly?). It reminds me of old times photocopied covers and gives a short moment of nostalgia, but I had preferred a cover that matched the qualities of the tunes.

Anyway, I strongly recommend this to your vinyl single collection, because you´re worth it.

Ferox – Nurture Your Nature (4 songs Digital EP)  (UK*)
(Don´t mix up this Anarcho UK band with the pathetic Swedish racist band that holds the same name )
Songs;
Anarchy X
Nurture Your Nature
Emma´s Song
Honor

This is a prequel to the album that will follow.

Ferox is something completely different from Headons.
They was named something different first, “Internal Autonomy” and started in the 1980ies in a post punk, “Siouxsie and the Banshees” spirit. As they claim at Punkrockers.com they were in need of a change.
In fact the leap from the Headons to this is a bit too big to really grasp, but I´ll do it anyway. And I will say honestly, that I am not much of a post, punk listener.

The front cover looks good, the logo looks good, the name and title sounds good. What about the music?

 The first tune “Anarchy X” have a good pulse and a big sound and is quite good post punk pagan (?) anarchist stuff. I guess it is like a statement for their belief.
But I can´t shake off the feeling that something is missing in it. It is a bit too cautious I think.
Especially when I compare it with IA works.

The closing song “Honor” sounds like a nicer and more polite cousin to a possible Rockbitch tune, not referring to RBs spectacular sex ,live shows, but the punk, hard rock, prog sound that Rockbitch turned into an art form. The way to use the voices and the skill full handling of the instruments reminds me a lot of Rockbitch. But then the compirising ends.
It is in my ears a bit unfocused, or am I missing the point? It is possible! But I like the tune. It doesn´t come easy. The record seems to make demands on me as a listener. I don´t think it was meant to be a drunk at the pub record. I feel dumb and i´ll give it another go, and then I find layers in it, layers that should be wrapped up slowly, not at once. I pour up a glass of wine and start all over again.

“Emma´s Voice” is a 1:17 long acapella that feels like it is an intro to “Honor” which is bad. Because it is a good song, the lovely female voices in sonic tapestry reminding me of lost and ancient times and way of living (not in a pathetic Viking rock way), I think they could have stretched it to a full length song because it is good.

“Nuture Your Nature” is a rather horrible post, punk type of tune with it´s all characteristics, except that Ferox know how to handle their instruments, not all post punks did.
This is NOT my cup of tea.

Overall, this is a bit unfocused to be one record. It stretches in many directions at once, I don´t know if they done on purpose? It´s peaks are good but the record as a whole isn´t that great. Maybe will the rest of the song on the coming album sort it out, hold it together a bit, maybe not, but that´s in the future to see.

I will pay for “Emma´s Song” and “Honor” but that will be enough.
Will I got to see them if they come to Stockholm? Definitely.