In the beginning there is sound, static to be precise. Or Noise. Or a beat. Or hyperventilation. One thing that is there for everyone to see from the very beginning but for basically nobody outside of Sweden to understand: Backengrillen. Listen and behold for this is something great in the making!
in the beginning was the word and the word was with Backengrillen and the word was Backengrillen. No, the guys have no intention of re-writing the New Testament, but there is something about this eponymous release that radiates this feeling of watching greatness in its creation! The record contains five tracks with a bit more than 48 minutes running time and we get a lot of different things and influences but we surely do not get anything remotely conventional on this record. We get Free Form, Doom Jazz, Avant-Punk, Noise, and much more if you analyse the single elements – heck, you even get some elements that are in a special cacophonous way a hint at classic Prog Rock parts, most of all the flutes. The songs were first jammed together during a Thursday “rehearsal” (btw how can you rehearse something non-existent?), performed on a Friday and then recorded on a Saturday – 72 hours of utter mayhem, madness, miracles, because yes, we are talking about three consecutive days and four musicians who not only know what they are capable of but also able to understand where a specific track wants to go. The four Swedes all knew what they were in for – something special. One cannot imagine how they set out into these uncharted territories, but they surely had predecessors they didn’t want to follow musically but attitude-wise, for example a Jazz-Rock band called Nirvana or Lars Lystedt, a local hero from the Swedish Jazz scene. But of course, true art is not imitation but inspiration – and they surely took that inspiration but also from acts as diverse as Entombed and Little Richard, Can and John Zorn, Albert Ayler and the Misfits (at least those are mentioned on their Bandcamp page) and yes, sometimes you might recognize these elements in the sound of Backengrillen. Coming back to how they pieced together the five tracks – they probably first discussed the methodological and programmatic aspects: Anything goes and all system go! For there is one thing that seemingly holds all that chaos together: A certain sense of urgency; if we do this, we go all the way. No limitations, no looking back.
There is the Free Jazz of Zorn, the Punk energy of the Cramps, Little Richard or the Stooges, but also the Psychedelic repetition of Can or the punch of Entombed. All of that combined with the idea to annoy people who want to dive into music in order to re-ascertain their own ideas of what music has to be, especially if made by these individuals. But you surely do not get what you expected. Here we come back to the biblical reference: Backengrillen is the creator and they themselves create what they are – and in a certain sense that is one of the most human things to say, for we are also our own constant creator and the sometimes illogical reason behind our thoughts, feelings and actions. That is surely true for Backengrillen – for their music has no noticeable preconceived layout or master plan – they create as they go along. Their drummer said about the record: “We really hope this slab of stupid, violent death rock will ruin someone’s day. Haha.” Well, too bad, it didn’t ruin my day. It elevated it, pumping blood through my veins and fists. Making me refrain from complete rational understanding and turning to emotional grasping.
If you want to confirm your ideas about a band because of its members – Backengrillen is not for you. If you want to want to witness grandeur from the beginning – then this is right for you. One thing I do not suggest: Yes, three of these four musicians are famous for being part in one of the greatest Hardcore bands of all time. But that’s not the reason you should listen to it. Not even remotely. If you got all the way to here, you already know. Enjoy!
