Almost literally, I stumbled into Lilla Hotellbaren (meaning The Little Hotel Bar) in Stockholm where Fritz’s Corner book bands every Wednesday. It’s free, so there’s no reason not to drop in as it is also in a pretty central place in Stockholm, right next to a subway station. I’m late so I fall in line as soon as I get in while Swedish quartet Hong Faux are playing their pretty traditional jagged metal. I have really enjoyed their debut self-titled EP that dropped last year. There’s something that’s quite revivalist about them, like they wish to make a homage to the old school of metal. Indeed the cover of their EP sports a well recognised icon for metal fans: a blatant rip-off of Motörhead’s War-Pig Snaggletooth, and you can see it figuring behind the band on the picture above as well. Musically, however Hong Faux’s style is, unfortunately, not as bad-ass or speedy as Motörhead’s train-on-its-way-to-disaster thrills. With that symbol hanging behind them, as an audience member I can’t help thinking that a fistpumping Motörhead show would have been a better trade.
Listen to Hong Faux’s debut EP at Spotify.
Now, Lilla Hotellbaren is called Lilla (Little) for a reason and the nights aren’t exactly encouraging moshing. Whereas a real rock venue could’ve benefitted Hong Faux, it doesn’t seem to bother Swedish quintet Nutmeg at all. Their slightly askew yet pop-oriented post-hardcore lives up to its ”post”-prefix. Their 2008 album The Trigger worked as a trigger for many who never knew they could enjoy hardcore. That’s the real beauty of post-hardcore, it has moved past the limitations to broaden the palette of the expression. This is why it appeals to a larger audience and also why it works quite well onstage for Nutmeg as well. The band might be very apt if yet a little stiff while churning out the typical angular riffs but the whole thing lifts from the ground with the frontman’s very satisfying screaming and shouting. His body language was appropriately restrained just like the tension in the music’s dynamics puts a strain on the listener who just wants more. And more we shall get. The band played this evening to celebrate the release of the first single, Space, from their upcoming second album.
Keep a lookout for that while you listen to The Trigger on Spotify.
