Slutavverkning – Skräp

Swedes Slutavverkning are by no means a new listen for yours truly having had the honour of covering their debut full-length album, 2023’s Levande Charader for The Sleeping Shaman. Said release followed up the three-part Arbetets Sorgemusik (The Song of Sorrow) series of EPs. I don’t know what they put in the water in Sweden, but the country seems to have a knack for producing fantastic music whether that be Melodic Death Metal, Stoner Rock, Hardcore, or whatever you’d classify these lads as.

Two years later and we have a new release, this time in the shape of yet another EP by the name of Skräp (Garbage in English). The line-up consists of Music / Guitar - Pelle Andersson, Lyrics / Vocals - Jon Ekström, Drummer Marcus Källström, Bassist Per Wiberg (Opeth/Candlemass/Spiritual Beggars) and Isak Hedtjärn (Fire! Orchestra) on Clarinet. According to the press release the EP touches upon “the garbage we consume, believe, produce and leave behind”, well there’s plenty of that around, just turn on the TV for starters and you’ll be bombarded with opinionated endless rolling news and shit reality shows. Safe to say going by prior experience this will in no way be reflected inthe quality of the music produced here and which I’m highly excited to be reviewing for you good people here today.

‘Lågbudgetrock’ (Low Budget Rock) is an entirely appropriate title seeing as there’s plenty of fly by night Indie landfill out there currently populating charity shops (take a bow Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs...). Slutavverkning are certainly an antidote to such mediocrity whatwith the Noise-Rock and Proto-Industrial ala Big Black but as if fronted by Refused’s Dennis Lyxzén. As such this injects a Hardcore energy into the proceedings, Free-Jazz blasts elevating it yet further into something truly special. A predictably stunning opener. ‘Den Mänskliga Vredens Arkitekter’ (TheArchitects of Human Anger) slows the pace significantly and has more of a groove laden feel compared to that of its predecessor. There is a funk and blues infused Stoner Rock feel comparable to that of Clutch, only far more engaging, in fact the vocals are a little reminiscent of Neil Fallon from that band. This demonstrates a keen interest in experimentation and a willingness to deviate from what many would identify as their primary genre. Superb.

‘Kaos, Kris Och Helvete’ (Chaos, Crisis and Hell) the longest track on the EP at three minutes twenty one, mixes mid to late 80’s prime Sonic Youth discordant No-Wave with the brute Sludge of bands such as Tad and the Melvins. The aforementioned use of Free-Jazz coincidentally brings an extra level of chaos to proceedings and as indicated by the title. Musically speaking if heaven can be viewed through the prism of entertaining the likes of Crowded House, then hell should be bands such as Slutavverkning, after all, the devil has the best tunes, no? Superb. ‘Skräp’ will evoke fond memories of both Fugazi’s tightly wound Post-Hardcore as well as the explosive bombastic weirdness of criminally overlooked and much missed Tumwater trio Karp. Throw in the band’s obligatory James Chance and the Contortions influence and you have all the ingredients for a truly fantastic concluding track, which it is.

The anti-capitalist tag may cause some to roll their eyes, given the actions of Rage Against the Machine who showcased their ‘socialist’ credentials by being signed on one of the world’s biggest record labels. Slutavverkning on the other hand can hold their heads high, unburdened by such double standards and hypocrisy, producing as they do music that is equally vital and engaging.