UTFLOD – Efterdønn

I absolutely love and cherish pretty much everything about this band and their latest pummeling effort. Not only is Utflod one (if not the) hardest hitting thing since the first Rocky movie and as devastatingly fierce as they come; they have also shaped and perfected a unique sound and a musical identity of their own.

In many ways, Efterdønn is akin to a hybrid consisting of equal parts hardcore, punk rock, and razor-sharp metal taken to its (il)logical extreme. My sheer adoration for their exceptionally good songwriting skills and their ability to push the boundaries of delightful noise further and further is one thing, but what really needs to be emphasized in these lines is that this fourteen-track record is steeped in a cold and unnerving atmosphere that sucks you right in and that the quartet truly comes across as a ferocious force of nature – more so than on any previous occasion. The lyrics reflect the trials and tribulations of life and rather cleverly comment on the human condition while the caustic vocals sound phenomenal on top of the punchy riffs and vibrant energy of the rhythm section. Although “Glitter & Guld,” “Tyrann,” and “Fra Eit Hjarte” are the highlights on the CD, there are no mediocre or pedestrian ones to be found here, and it works so frighteningly well in an overall perspective that I find myself listening to it from beginning to end again and again without skipping a single tune.

Merging anger with a dark sense of euphoria and then adding a touch of immediacy to it has resulted in a killer album that feels genuinely vicious and electrifying. Raw, loud, in-your-face, and outright blistering music from the Norwegian underground awaits you.