Swedish sludge/hardcore band Horndal premiere a music video for »Calling: Labor«; new album »Head Hammer Man« out now via Prosthetic Records!
Stockholm, Sweden based sludge/hardcore band Horndal celebrates the release of their new album »Head Hammer Man« with a music video for »Calling: Labor«
Horndal’s third full-length album »Head Hammer Man« just dropped on April 5th, 2024 via Prosthetic Records.
Tracklist:
01. Head Hammer Man
02. Calling Labor
03. Exiled
04. Fuck the Scabs
05. Famine
06. Blacklisted
07. The Shining Specter
08. Evictions
09. Orange Legacy
10. Creature Cages
Says the band: “New video – »Calling: Labor«! This is about Alrik being forced into exile in 1910, and what he stated during the interrogation at the emigration office at Ellis Island, New York. He wanted nothing more than a job and later became the Head Hammer Man at Columbia Steel in Chicago.
What have I ever done? Nothing but stealing riffs from Mercyful Fate, I guess. Hmm. People might consider Horndal to be a doom, death, progressive, thrash, rusty or whatever type of metal band. But honestly, anyone who says they don’t like Judas Priest or Thin Lizzy is either a liar or an imbecile. Or both. Enjoy!
Video made by the amazing students at Stockholms Filmskola and Anders Rune. Editor: Viggo Johnsson. Thank you!!”
Courtesy of Prosthetic Records:
Sweden’s Horndal released their third album, titled »Head Hammer Man«, on April 5 via Prosthetic Records.
Following on from 2021’s »Lake Drinker« album – which saw Horndal scooping up accolades and achieving unprecedented publicity in their home country of Sweden – the irrepressible four piece have returned with »Head Hammer Man«. The ten track album is an ode to resistance, community and the defiant spirit that exists in the town of Horndal. More specifically, »Head Hammer Man« tells the tale of Alrik Andersson whose heroic story has been untold. Until now.
Order »Head Hammer Man« HERE!
Horndal, Sweden, 1909. The Great Strike rages across the entire country. Local union uprisings are crushed one by one. But a small group stands defiant – the ironworkers of Horndal. A group led by 27-year-old Alrik Andersson.
The steel company’s struggle against the striking workers had led to starvation, famine and mass evictions of families – and was on the brink of sparking a civil war. Workers from all over the country traveled in solidarity to Horndal to fight alongside the unionized, against the Swedish military, who had been sent there with bayonets drawn. To avoid starting a war, the Prime Minister eventually ordered the soldiers to lay down their weapons and the company executives to stop evicting the starving families.
Alrik fought tirelessly for his fellow workers’ jobs, and was successful – but this came at a price. The company executives ensured that Alrik was blacklisted throughout Sweden, so that he could not find employment anywhere in the country. He was forced into exile and fled across the Atlantic on an overloaded ship with his wife and two small children. He ended up in Chicago, where he found work at a steel mill and was given the title – »Head Hammer Man«. He worked there until his death in 1970, never mentioning his life in Sweden to anyone. No one in Sweden, or even in Horndal remembers him.
»Head Hammer Man« is a tribute to Alrik Andersson, a chance for his story to live on, over one hundred years after he took a stand for the people of Horndal. His tale is woven throughout the most ambitious, inspired and expansive compositions that Horndal have created to date. Not only inspired by this one remarkable man, the band have drawn influence from all corners of their record collections. From Pugh Rogefeldt to Autopsy, Wipers to Judas Priest, Hawkwind to Mercyful Fate, Don Cherry to Voivod. A riff borrowed from Sparks here, a solo borrowed from Jake E Lee there. Brass arrangements alongside layered harmony guitars. John Barry’s The Persuaders theme next to King Crimson and The Jesus Lizard. Black Sabbath and The Shadows, Slayer and Sonic Youth.
The album was recorded in various locations across Sweden, including at the legendary Atlantis Metronome studios – including Swedish icons ABBA, whose very own grand piano is featured on »Head Hammer Man«. The album was mixed by Simon Söderberg at Mayfire Studio, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg and Redmount Studios. Horndal invited their good friends to add to the album’s sonic landscape; Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of Our Lives etc) plays organs and Moogs, whilst Henrik Palm (In Solitude, Ghost, Viagra Boys) contributed two hair raising guitar solos. The »Head Hammer Man« himself even makes a cameo with excerpts from a speech included in the title track. History may have forgotten him but Horndal never will.
Horndal is:
Henrik Levahn – Vocals And Guitars
Pontus Levahn – Drums, Guitars, Piano, Percussion
Fredrik Boethius – Guitars
Daniel Ekeroth – Bass
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well