By Josh Bicknell
From the progressive powerhouse that is Opeth to the riff masters known only as Meshuggah, the Swedish metal scene has consistently delivered a range of headline-worthy acts to the forefront of the global stage. Following in their footsteps are Thrown, who have quickly made waves since their formation in 2021, amassing a mammoth 81 million streams with their vicious brand of metalcore. Their upcoming record ‘EXCESSIVE GUILT’ (yes, the capitals are deliberate – Ed) delivers more of what fans have come to expect, striking with just the right amount of force to leave you stunned but still craving more.
The album’s opening track, ‘guilt,’ quickly showcases what I believe to be thrown’s greatest strength: their ability to enthral listeners with remarkable speed. Upon pressing play, I found myself immediately captivated by Marcus Lundqvist’s explosive vocal performance, and I never lost interest thanks to Liljeblad and Malm’s eerie guitarwork. Furthermore, the sharp transition from track one to track two ensures that no energy is lost, with the closing vocals of ‘guilt’ introducing the digital-sounding riffs and the laser-like string slides of ‘backfire.’
As we journey towards the midpoint of the album, thrown begin to demonstrate that their hard-hitting brand of metalcore is not without nuance, with the following three tracks feeling notably more experimental. ‘on the verge’ stands out for Buster Odeholm’s creative use of sampling, featuring backing vocals reminiscent of 1990s Memphis hip-hop. Although it may sound strange, it elevates what risked becoming an angsty filler track into a genre-bending hit.
Progressing into ‘bitter friend’, the experimentation continues, with the Swedish quartet opting to include an ominous arrangement of distorted synths, contrasting Marcus’s more upbeat vocal delivery. This more experimental segment of the record culminates with ‘nights’, which is for the most part a return to form. However, it does feature a uniquely bouncy bassline right around the one-minute mark, giving the track its own identity.
Diving deeper into the record, we once again find ourselves looking back in time, with ‘look at me’ and ‘dislike’ both clearly inspired by the 90s nu metal scene. The first of these throwback tracks features a compelling blend of rapping and screaming, with the latter mixing in some good old-fashioned disc scratching. When paired with one of their relentless instrumentals, these songs represent a tasteful blend of new and old.
‘EXCESSIVE GUILT’ comes to an end in a similar fashion to which it began, with an epic onslaught of crushing breakdowns. The bludgeoning ‘bloodsucker’ is one of the heaviest tracks I’ve heard in a while, but almost paradoxically, as a result of the way it plays with silence. There are a few instances of the instrumental being completely ripped away, only to be reintroduced with a vengeance. Moments like these create a real sense of impact, and it’s something I wish artists experimented with more often.
In their upcoming release, thrown have affirmed their status as Sweden’s rising stars and proven to the rest of the world that they are worth the hype. ‘EXCESSIVE GUILT’ knows when to innovate and when to deliver exactly what fans have come to expect, making it a serious contender for metalcore album of the year.
- ‘EXCESSIVE GUILT’ will be released on Friday 30 August.
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