SVALBARD MØL
THE BLACK HEART, LONDON
Expansive punk firebrands overcome a false start
SVALBARD HAVE CARVED
out a niche marrying socio-political discourse with a frenetic amalgam of blackened crustpunk and exquisite post-rock elegance. Newly released second album, It’s Hard To Have Hope, is a masterful follow-up to their debut, providing searing commentary on modern societal ills such as working unpaid, pro-life rhetoric and sexual assault, and tonight marks a celebration of its release.
Before that, though, we’re treated to the debut UK performance from Denmark’s MØL [8], who are surfing on a wave of hype after the release of their deliriously heavy full-length debut, Jord. Their take on the burgeoning blackgaze scene is technically nothing new, but it is arguably the most proficient example of the genre since Deafheaven’s Sunbather. They begin with a deceptive blanket of warm reverb-drenched delay before erupting into Jord’s lead single, Penumbra. Vocalist Kim Song Sternkopf channels the intensity of a man possessed, screaming with extended ferocity while the band provide astonishing accompaniment, occasionally playing a little loose, but never enough to spoil the dazzling aural assault on display. It’s early days for Møl but based on tonight, the hype is completely justified, even if the 150-capacity Black Heart feels too small to contain their expansive sound. Once elevated to bigger venues, Møl are destined to blossom into one of the most beloved bands in the blackgaze scene.
Møl are a tough act to follow and while SVALBARD [7] are usually more than capable of matching such an incendiary performance, tonight they fall just short of mustering the levels of fury their new material deserves. The band take time to warm up, which robs the opening one-two punch of The Damage Done and Feminazi of their power, which is particularly galling when you consider that Svalbard’s seven-song headline set amounts to just 35 minutes. But once the opening strains of Perspective reverberate around the venue, there’s a noticeably positive shift in the air. The agonised howls vocalist/guitarist Serena Cherry wrings out of Unpaid Intern, Revenge Porn and an utterly sublime rendition of For The Sake Of The Breed prove that these new songs are the best vehicles yet for her righteous indignation. Svalbard deserve to be championed as a band with something profound and intelligent to say. On record, the message is incredibly potent; once they get back into the swing of regular touring, it’ll be just as potent live.