Alfavrak and the unbridled Swedish rock punches of "Insekt"

 

photo by Ulf Isacson

Here I am once again posting about a song that is in a language that is foreign to me. It is "Insekt" by the Swedish post punk / garage rock band Alfavrak, a name I love saying by the way whether my pronunciation is correct or not. As I listen to the ferocity here that ramps up quickly with severe (and delicious) guitar strikes propelled by a rabid beat with nice touches ( is that bongos helping to propel the fury??). The added percussion adds a kind of 70's rock and roll classicalism. The unbridled nature here with jangly guitars that are at once dirty but cleaner than what you would find on a metal rock song add fuel to the fire. I like this jangly sound, it feels even more out of control when the intensity in movement, in sheer passion doesn't rely on power chord sustains. Jesus, I do love this sound and I thought of a potent amalgam of bands like The Dirtbombs, Ohsees, The Detroit Cobras and The Hives (if they weren't so poseurly perfect).

It also occurs to me that while l love the sound of the vox, the wailing, the spitting of words that I pray to god that they are not singing about bad things, about racist views or small children getting toss off cliffs or the Proud Boys or Trump grabbing.... (Stop) I doubt it, I will rely on the relative sanctity of pure rock and of Swedes and of Alfavrak, (god, I do love saying this name).

-Robb Donker Curtius

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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

https://www.facebook.com/alfavrak

https://www.instagram.com/

Back to zero. Nothing fancy. No style. No smartness.

As easy as it gets. Plain old rock rock ’n’ roll. By and for those of us who are slightly worse people.


Put simply, the sound of an unruly shopping trolley being pushed through the gravel, snow and ice in the tired Scandinavian night.


Even though the lyrics are in Swedish, sure you'll get the point here. The band name ALFAVRAK means Alpha Wrecks and is a quite appropriate description of a simple rock band that regards themselves more as fans than proper musicians. The members are in many ways the leftover debris of a bunch of garage rock bands who had the good taste to implode when their time had come… As far as it comes to any kind of profile the band takes real pride in playing nothing else than just plain old stubborn rock ‘n’ roll.



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