Since their inception in 2010, Sweden’s Alfahanne have been known as fiercely independent in terms of their musical makeup. Often referred to as simply a Rock band, they blend Classic Rock, Punk, Black Metal elements and more, delivering a distinctively heavy output. Looking back, it has been ten years since their debut album Alfapokalyps arrived from the label Dark Essence Records. That in mind, in a happy twist of fate, they are returning to Dark Essence to release their new album Vår tid är nu. Set for release on February 9, 2024, the album, their fifth, is arrives digitally and on ‘swamp green’ vinyl for collectors.
Alongside their eclectic but heavy sound, Alfahanne have been consistent in their recurring theme of all things apocalyptic, as even the title of their debut album suggests. However, the title of their new album is a more discreet reference to the same idea, stating “Our time is now,” meaning these apocalypse-ready rockers are finally coming into their own. Another distinctive aspect to the record is its wide range of special guests from among Alfahanne’s peers, making it feel like a high-energy gathering of musical friends delivering the intentionally bleak atmosphere with great enthusiasm.
The band show a careful arrangement of the record’s track order, including both an “Intro” and an “Outro” that conjure the dark atmosphere, but also suggest some musical themes and ideas. The “Intro” sets up chanting voices and a somewhat medieval atmosphere that’s further confirmed by the following track “9e cirkeln,” a reference to the 9th circle of Hell, made famous by Dante’s Inferno. Significantly, the 9th circle is the one below which Satan himself lives, having been placed in the furthest location from God’s light. It is fair to say the album suggests a descent into the darkest of places.
A particularly moody stand-out track on the album crops up early in the record, “Eremiten,” which features Doedsadmiral, aka Anders Olav Hansen of Doedsvangr and Nordjevel. The title of the song translates as “hermit,” continuing a medieval feel to these songs, and the track’s intro conjures the gothic with organ music joined by electric guitars. The song is particularly dynamic, and dramatic in its contrasts, with both harder Rock elements and more melodic, layered guitars paired with screaming vocals. An overlay of spoken word elements even gives a sense of multiple perspectives, like a prophecy or an echo through time.
A song that was released as a single with its own video, “Wolfman” forms a strong foundation for the core of the album. It is a track that launches with tremendous energy right from the start, and an instrumental build up adds to the feeling of the song. As the title suggests, the song drops the audience into a monstrous world, and the music almost suggests someone running through a dramatic landscape at night. Combining both screamed and spoken word vocals, the sense of running shifts to a feeling of being pursued as the song gets even heavier.
Another track that deserves plenty of attention is the title track “Vår tid är n”; featuring Nattfursth, the vocalist for the Swedish Black Metal band Sorhin. The general sense of the piece is one of resistance. The track’s guitar parts are more distinctly separated out instead of layered, which creates more of a sense of inflection and challenge, alongside vocals that are not so much screamed as shouted and chant-like.
While Alfahanne are always looking for new and challenging ideas for their albums and songs, this album feels like a kind of coming home for them, both in terms of their confidence and in their cohesion when creating such a full sonic world for Vår tid är nu. They allow themselves to do what they do best, combining surprising elements in wild new ways, and for that reason Cryptic Rock gives this album 4 out of 5 stars.
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