Swedish forest rockers Besvärjelsen premiere their sophomore full-length album »Atlas«, out today via Magnetic Eye Records
Swedish forest rockers Besvärjelsen premiere their sophomore full-length album, »Atlas«, which will be released this Friday, May 27th, 2022 via Magnetic Eye Records.
Tracklist:
01. The Cardinal Ride
02. Acheron
03. Clouds
04. House Of The Burning Light
05. Paradise
06. Digerliden
07. Descent
08. Celestial
09. Obscured By Darkness
10. Divided Ends
Courtesy of Purple Sage PR:
On their sophomore full-length »Atlas«, aptly named after the mythical Greek titan who literally carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, Swedish heavy rockers Besvärjelsen take a huge step toward the perfect wedding of melodic doom with subtle touches of prog as well as punk, folk, and classic rock. The distinctly urban component in the sound of these rockers is very much amplified by the outstanding vocals of Lea Amling Alazam. The charismatic singer took a fresh approach by embracing melodies and phrases of the grunge and emo sounds that defined her youth as well as African and Middle Eastern music – while keeping her characteristic bluesy undertones.
With its wistful melodies and towering riff-power, »Atlas« represents a logical progression along the course that Besvärjelsen charted from the start. The band was co-founded by guitarists and vocalists Andreas Baier and Staffan Stensland Vinrot in 2014 with a clear vision to channel the spirit and traditions of the vast Dalarna forests, a region otherwise famous for its painted wooden horses, into contemporary heavy music. »Atlas« will be available on limited colored LP, CD and digital on May 27th via Magnetic Eye Records.
Besvärjelsen »Atlas« out May 27th on Magnetic Eye Records – Order your copy HERE!
What to do when you like rock and doom born from the desert but your surroundings offer anything but arid lands? Besvärjelsen found an impressive answer in the grim forests of their homeland in Dalarna, Sweden. Having grown up in the far north at the meeting grounds of ancient Norse and Finnish cultures amongst echoes of runes and gods, shamans and spirits, the spellbinding five-piece crafted their name from the Swedish word for “conjuring” while drawing heavy inspiration from local lore, mysticism, and the dark, old musical traditions.
Yet Besvärjelsen are anything but another “pagan” outfit longing for a time that never was. Andreas, coming from a background in punk and hardcore, had realized that by slowing things down, their music would gain in-depth while allowing haunting melodies to exist alongside a cathartic heaviness. Once vocalist Lea Amling Alazam arrived with a fiery passion for punk and stoner rock that had begun at the local skate park when she was just 13, Andreas and Staffan happily relegated their shared vocal duties to a supporting role – an easy choice as Lea’s distinctive voice summoned the intimacy and charisma of singers like Nina Simone or Amy Winehouse.
Besvärjelsen released their debut EP »Villfarelser« in 2015, which was followed quickly by the »Exil« EP in 2016. Around this time, former Dozer and Greenleaf drummer Erik Bäckwall joined the line-up as a permanent member. Both EPs, though self-financed and released with minimal promotion, were well-received and even gained airplay on Swedish national radio. Their debut full-length »Vallmo« hit the streets of Stockholm and elsewhere in 2018, shortly after Erik had convinced his Dozer and Greenleaf bandmate Johan Rockner to join the band on bass. »Vallmo« merged crushing riffs and storming drums with increasingly sophisticated melodies and thoughtful themes, which even earned the band a festival slot opening for Deep Purple.
With the mini-album »Frost«, Besvärjelsen intended to crush stages all over Europe in 2019, before being forced into involuntary live performance hibernation (like every other band around the globe) for two years. Although forced to write separately, the band used the spare time to compile a wealth of ideas, amassed remotely and shared across the miles and months of relative solitude, which would finally result in the recording of »Atlas« with producer Karl Daniel Lidén in 2021. Re-purposing melancholic harmonies that could have been derived from the playbook of Alice In Chains, adding gravity that would make Windhand proud, and topping their upgraded sound with exciting yet intimate vocal lines, they have carved a towering monolith from solid rock and planted it firmly into the magical woods of their homeland to send its heavy lay-lines around the globe.
Besvärjelsen is:
Lea Amling Alazam – Vocals
Staffan Winroth – Guitar, Vocals
Andreas Baier – Guitar, Vocals
Johan Rockner – Bass
Erik Bäckwall – Drums
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well