Band:	Horndal
Album:	Head Hammer Man
Style:	Post hardcore, Sludge metal
Release date:	April 2024

01. Head Hammer Man
02. Calling: Labor
03. Exiled
04. Fuck The Scabs
05. Famine
06. Blacklisted
07. The Shining Specter
08. Evictions
09. Orange Legacy
10. Creature Cages

Horndal, the metal historians dedicated to chronicling the story of the hometown from which they took their name, cover another chapter in the small town’s history, and once more set it to a backdrop of top-tier sludge.

Horndal, situated northwest of Stockholm, is just one of numerous towns and cities in Sweden, and the Western world in general, that underwent decay following the decline of local manufacturing industry. Horndal’s self-titled EP and debut full album Remains narrated this abandonment of the town, while 2021’s Lake Drinker covers the environmental impact of Google’s proposed descent upon the area. For their latest effort, Head Hammer Man, the group travel back to the early 1910s, to the story of union leader Alrik Andersson (a recording of whom is featured on the title track) and his battle with the now-defunct Horndal Steel Mill, a tale that ultimately ended in Andersson’s exile and emigration to America. It’s another fascinating account, and one that has been rendered with some of Horndal’s strongest songwriting to date.

The group’s particular style of sludge is a rowdy one, one with the kind of brawling energy that listeners have come to expect from High On Fire and their ilk, but it’s by no means one-dimensional; hardcore punk and thrash make their presence felt in moments, but at the other end of the spectrum there’s quite a lot of bluesy melodic guitar work, and a number of sections that are cleaner and groovier. Acts such as Mastodon and Kylesa come to mind in these segments and songs, and while Horndal don’t have the wild technicality of the former, they do satisfy a similar listening urge.

The album is cyclical, both beginning and ending with the sound of steel on steel, and given how enjoyable the record it is, it’s very easy to get caught in an endless listening loop. After those initial ringing clangs, the title track begins with the first of many infectiously addictive mid-tempo riffs, before alternating between rowdy sludge distortion and quieter, slicker grooves (accentuated by tasteful synths from guest keyboardist Martin Hederos). I’ve already mentioned Mastodon and High On Fire, and Henrik Levahn’s roared vocals resemble Matt Pike and early Troy Sanders in bringing fire without descending into extreme metal brutality; lyrics are relatively easily discernible, but that rowdy delivery reaches into something primal.

For an example of Horndal’s more melodic side, “Calling: Labour” is characterized by bright-sounding guitar leads, and has a driving rocking rhythm to it that arguably takes it over into stoner metal territory, or towards Kvelertak’s rock-on-steroids approach, but later on those thrashy urges are unleashed as Horndal slip into overdrive. Further explorations of quieter or more eerie vibes can be heard on “Exiled”, which is shrouded in warbling psychedelic tones, and the understated, almost proggy “Famine”. At the other end of the spectrum, “Fuck The Scabs” possesses a brawling belligerence fitting its name, from the pounding drumming and dirty sludge-thrash riffs to the wild Slayer-ish shredded soloing.

Head Hammer Man bears a lot of musical similarities to Lake Drinker, but it does feel like a slight step up in terms of consistent quality; pretty much front to back, this album is packed with non-stop bangers that nail both the heavier and more melodic aspects in irresistible fashion. It’s hard to pick a highlight, but by virtue of being a full minute longer than any other song here, “The Shining Specter” manages to fit a few more ideas in, ranging from grim slower bruising riffs to enchanting psychedelic/stoner clean guitar soloing.

This may not end up being the best album of the year (although it will certainly be a firm contender in the sludge category), but I can certainly see Head Hammer Man vying for the title of most fun metal album in 2024. I have had a blast with every spin of this record, and of all the releases thus far this year, it’s the one that I can see myself being most excited to revisit. Join Horndal on Alrik Andersson’s journey and let this album hammer you in the head.