Release Date: June 21st 2024. Record Label: Magnetic Eye Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
The Head & The Habit: Tracklisting
1.Breathe, Breathe Out
2.Avalanche
3.Different Horses
4.A Wolf In My Mind
5.That Obsidian Grin
6.The Sirens Sound
7.Oh Dandelion
8.The Tricking Tree
9.An Alabastrine Smile
Review
Legendary Stoner Rockers Greenleaf celebrate their twenty fifth anniversary by releasing one of their best albums in years with The Head & The Habit. A collection of classic sounding Stoner Rock based tracks that focuses over the last 50 years of the Hard Rock movement with Greenleaf’s trademark Fuzz based style. With the band having members being part of other amazing bands from the Swedish Stoner Rock/Metal scene with acts such as DOZER and LOWRIDER. Greenleaf have always continued to evolve their music with all of their albums sounding quite different to each other which has seen lead guitarist Tommi Holappa being the only constant member throughout their extraordinary career.
The Head & The Habit comes across like a first rate Greatest Hits Package whilst bringing nine new songs for the Greenleaf faithful to fall in love with. There’s echoes of Blues Rock, Psych Rock, Space Rock and there’s movements of low-key alt rock that appear within one of the tracks that gives the record a more subdued feeling.
With a non-stop assortment of hooks, grooves and melodic passages with that fast-paced Fuzz/Stoner Rock swagger that’s part of the band’s overall creative DNA especially on tracks such as “Breathe, Breathe Out”, Avalanche and Different Horses which sees a muscular sludgy rock sound appearing which sees Greenleaf venture into heavier Stoner Metal movements on later stages of the album.
Greenleaf are quite progressive with some of the lyrics and psychedelic sounds that they’ve created for this record which retains a different kind of heaviness from the band which leads to some of the albums standout moments. There’s perhaps two tracks that may take people out of the whole Stoner Rock flow of the record which is That Obsidian Grin and An Alabastrine Smile. As this sees Greenleaf operate with a Blues Rock/Folk Rock narrative but it’s good seeing the band trying something different and quite heartfelt and maybe the band could have ended the album with a more action-packed song.
However, that doesn’t stop Greenleaf unleashing one of their most highly accomplished, brilliantly produced and superbly entertaining albums in years.
Swedish heavy rockers GREENLEAF release the tongue-in-cheek video clip and super catchy tune 'Breathe, Breathe Out' as the first driving single taken from their forthcoming full-length "The Head & The Habit", which is slated for release on June 26, 2024 via Magnetic Eye Records!
The video 'Breathe, Breathe Out' combines the struggles of great parenting with social commentary on the generational gap and film directing. The clip is now premiering here:
!The first single 'Breathe, Breathe Out' conveys a message of self-reflection and resilience", explains vocalist Arvid Hällagård. "The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the importance of taking a moment to relax and let go of negative emotions. The overall theme encourages embracing one's current state, appreciating what you have, and navigating through life with a sense of control and acceptance. I've had to teach these things to myself during the last couple of years. This is also the overall theme of the album, the head and its habits."
With their ninth full-length "The Head & The Habit", GREENLEAF have reached the pinnacle of a long evolution. The musical handwriting and well-honed mastery of guitarist Tommi Holappa, who has been a pioneer and pillar of the European stoner rock scene for more than 25 years, shines clearly through. This is perfectly complemented by the soulfulness, intuitive sense of melody, and depth of character that the vocals of classically-trained singer Arvid Hällagård brings to the sound of GREENLEAF.
Apart from world-class vocal lines and massive riffs with electric fuzz-power, GREENLEAF have put extra thought into the themes of "The Head & The Habit", which lift its lyrics far above much of the often cliché-ridden genre. As the album title implies, the new songs resemble symbolic short stories that revolve around emotional struggles and even mental illness. Written by the vocalist, the lyrics reflect real life experience as Hällagård works with people who suffer from problems with drug abuse and psychological health.
Tracklist:
1. Breathe, Breathe Out
2. Avalanche
3. Different Horses
4. A Wolfe in My Mind
5. That Obsidian Grin
6. The Sirens Sound
7. Oh Dandelion
8. The Tricking Tree
9. An Alabastrine Smile
Heavy rock afficionados GREENLEAF were initially formed as an informal project by friends that were already playing in other bands including such notable names as DOZER, LOWRIDER, and DEMON CLEANER. The Swedes simply wanted an outlet for their mutual love of '70s-era hard rock and proto-metal while being free from the expectations and pressures of their main bands.
Despite intentions to keep GREENLEAF purely for pleasure, the undiluted joy of creating catchy songs led to everyone demanding that material be recorded. This eventually resulted in the release of a self-titled debut EP in 2000, which was quickly followed by first full-length "Revolution Rock" only a year later.
With guitarist and founder Tommi Holappa firmly at the helm, the sound of GREENLEAF remained remarkably consistent throughout the years and releases that followed, even through a variety of personnel changes.
Inspired by growing popularity and the success of "Secret Alphabets" (2003) and "Agents of Ahriman" (2007), they began to shift gears in 2010, moving from "the side project that refused to die" toward something closer to a band with the release of fourth album, 2012's "Nest of Vipers".
Having turned from an on and off fling to a full-time love affair, the years of rotating line-ups ended and GREENLEAF's newfound focus and stability was crowned by their fifth album "Trails & Passes" (2014), which featured new permanent vocalist Arvid Hällagård. This milestone also marked the beginning of a new phase of the band.
Their next two full-lengths, 2016's "Rise Above the Meadow" and 2018's "Hear the Rivers", won the band prime performing slots on European festival stages, while "Echoes from a Mass" (2021) reached the global streaming and European album charts – reflecting the quartet's ever-growing popularity.
Weaving together psychedelia, hard rock, and metallic blues in a warm, serpentine mélange that leaves behind none of the punishing immediacy of their earlier recordings, today's GREENLEAF merge road-tested tightness, swirling guitar-driven soundscapes, and captivating blues-laden vocals into one of the most reliably mesmerizing acts pushing the sonic horizons of desert rock to new frontiers.
With "The Head & The Habit", GREENLEAF combine an awareness of past triumphs with mature craftsmanship, showcasing their confidence in how to rock stronger, harder, and more to the point than ever before. The Swedes melt thunderous riff-magic, enrapturing and soul-heavy vocals, frenetic rhythms and driving attacks into a ear-catching, sparkling alloy of hard rocking anthems!
"The Head & The Habit" will be available as a 48-page CD artbook, a digisleeve CD, and as a transparent red vinyl LP, an opaque cream white vinyl LP, and a marbled black, white & transparent green vinyl LP. Pre-order HERE!
GREENLEAF have inked a deal with Magnetic Eye Records. The veteran desert rockers will finally be returning to detonate stages around Europe this year, and have already started to gather hot ideas for their next full-length to be released via the label.
GREENLEAF comment: "Signing a new record deal with Magnetic Eye was a pretty easy decision for us", writes vocalist Arvid Hällagård, who can be seen while signing the contract together with his band mates below. "We already knew them to be good people who do this for the love of heavy music, which is exactly the only kind of people that we want to work with. With them by our side, we feel that we can continue to do what we do in harmony with our label. This is something you won't find every day."
Jadd Shickler welcomes GREENLEAF: "I almost don't know where to begin in expressing my incredible pleasure at this signing", tells the Magnetic Eye director. "I've known guitarist and founder Tommi for more than 20 years, and I've been a fan of every band and project he's been part of. Yes, I liked GREENLEAF when they were his low-pressure side project, but when they transformed into a proper band with the 'Trails and Passes' album, it was a 'holy crap' moment, because they instantly became one of my absolute favorite heavy rock outfits on earth, and have remained so ever since. Saying how pleased we are to welcome GREENLEAF to the Magnetic Eye roster is a supreme understatement!"
GREENLEAF have already announced a set of live dates in Europe including Hellfest. Please see below for a list of currently confirmed shows.
Photo by Kimmo Holappa
GREENLEAF LIVE 2022
17 JUN 2022 Clisson (FR) Hellfest 02 JUL 2022 Gera (DE) Graveyard Summer Fest 08 JUL 2022 Borlänge (SE) Alive Festival 11 AUG 2022 Bagnes (CH) Palp Festival 01 OCT 2022 Göteborg (SE) Musikenshus 8-9 DEC 2022 Stockholm (SE) Fuzz Festival
Photo by Peder Bergrstand
Hard rock afficionados GREENLEAF were initially formed as an informal project by friends that were already playing in a number of other bands including DOZER, LOWRIDER, and DEMON CLEANER. The Swedes simply wanted to have an outlet for their mutual love of '70s-era hard rock and proto-metal while being free from the expectations and pressures that were hanging over their main bands.
Despite all their best intentions to have GREENLEAF just for fun, their undiluted joy of creating catchy songs led to everyone telling them to record their material. This led eventually to the release of a self-titled debut EP in 2000, which was quickly followed by their debut full-length "Revolution Rock" only a year later.
With guitarist and sole remaining founding-member Tommi Holappa firmly at the helm, the sound of GREENLEAF has remained remarkably consistent throughout the releases that followed, even though the band experienced several personnel changes over the years. Inspired by their growing popularity and the success of "Secret Alphabets" (2003) and "Agents of Ahriman" (2007), they decided to shift gears in 2010 and transformed from "the side project that refused to die" into a full-time band with the release of their fourth album, 2012's "Nest of Vipers".
Having turned from an on and off fling to a full-time love affair, the years of rotating line-ups were over, and GREENLEAF's newfound focus and stability was crowned by their fifth album "Trails & Passes" (2014), which also featured new permanent vocalist Arvid Hällagård. Their next two full-lengths, 2016's "Rise Above the Meadow" and 2018's "Hear the Rivers", won the band prime performing slots on European festival stages, while "Echoes from a Mass" (2021) reached the global streaming and European album charts – reflecting the quartet's ever-growing popularity.
Weaving together psychedelia, hard rock, and metallic blues in a warm, serpentine mélange that leaves behind none of the punishing immediacy of their earlier recordings, today's GREENLEAF merge road-tested tightness, swirling guitar-driven soundscapes, and captivating blues-laden vocals into one of the most reliably mesmerizing acts pushing the sonic horizons of desert rock to new frontiers.
Line-up
Hans Fröhlich – bass Arvid Hällagård – vocals Tommi Holappa – guitars Sebastian Olsson – drums
Release
date: November
09th2018.
Label: Napalm
Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Hear
The Rivers
– Tracklisting
1.Let
It Out! 04:46
2.Sweet
Is The Sound 04:07
3.A
Point Of A Secret 04:36
4.Good
Ol´Goat 03:15
5.The
Rumble And The Weight 06:43
6.We
Are The Pawns 04:30
7.Oh
My Bones 02:58
8.In
The Caverns Below 04:12
9.High
Fever 03:02
10.The
Rivers Lullaby 08:01
Members
Tommi
Holappa - Guitar
Sebastian
Olsson - Drums
Hans
Fröhlich - Bass
Arvid
Hällagård – Vocals
Review
Greetings
All,
Being
a music fan can be an incredibly fulfilling and frustrating
endeavour. Personally, I am pretty consistently amazed by the amazing
array of bands that can avoid my heavy duty, long range musical
radar. I believe it was earlier this year that I found myself
becoming familiarized with the awesome Black Rainbows, and I was
completely dumbfounded as to how I had never heard of them before
their newest record. Well, lo and behold, I have once again found
myself standing in the dark with the equally amazing Greenleaf.
The
band started out as a side project for Dozer guitarist Tommi Holappa
back in 2000 and these guys have just released their 7th full length.
After 20 years it is safe to say Greenleaf is no longer a side
project. Nor should it be. Hear the Rivers is an amazing slab of
fuzzed out garage/psych rock by this Swedish quartet. The band shares
a similar sound and vibe to their Euro brethren Graveyard and
Kadavar, while also pulling some notes from desert rock icons Kyuss
and Texas blues rock masters ZZ Top. Everything about the record
rings resonates with the heart and soul of any fan of rock n roll. It
is masterfully played, excellently recorded and delivers in every way
shape and form.
To
the songs..
From
the opening salvoes of the amazing Let
it Out!You
know Greenleaf is bringing it. Fuzzed out riffage and driving drums
carry this classic rock tune. Sweet
is the Sound brings
a serious groove that is reminiscent of times of early Queens of the
Stone Age. The QOTSA vibe continues on my personal favorite track
from the record. A
Point of a Secrethas
a slinky but powerful feel and delivers an amazing chorus that you
will be singing to yourself for weeks to come.
A big, raucous riff
brings in the stomp of Good
Ol’ Goat, a
straight ahead rocker that jams. While the band touches on darker
subject matter throughout the record, their ability to sugar coat it
with hooks and melodies makes the darkness a little bit brighter.
However, the next two tracks bring a one-two punch of no frills
heaviness, The
Rumble and the Weightis
a big heavy rock song and We
are the Pawns,
while also bringing the heavy, has a bit of a slower tempo and a more
ominous feel.
Oh
My Bones circles
back to the more straightforward retro rock feel and continues the
same vibe into the awesome, In
the Caverns Below. A
fuzzed out homage to 60’s rock. The band bring the high octane,
rock n rolla feel with High
Fever before
closing out with 8+ minute epic closing track, The
Rivers Lullaby.
With
Hear the Rivers, Greenleaf have given us the record that all wish The
Sword or Queens of the Stone Age could, or should be delivering. But
there is no point in wishing on a pipe dream or pining for what could
have. Greenleaf have delivered the goods in spades with their newest
opus. Everyone should do themselves a favor and track this record
down and support the hell out of these guys. We can’t let a band
this good become a side project again. Dig on This!
From
their beginnings as a side project of Swedish stoner rock royalty
Dozer and Demon Cleaner to their incarnation today as a fully fledged
concern to the band members, Greenleaf have always been masters of
the riff and this is demonstrated to stunning effect on their
excellent new album Rise Above The Meadow. We caught up with vocalist
Arvid Jonsson to talk about the album, what inspires their lyrics,
touring with Clutch and classic rock.
Q-
Your new album Rise Above The Meadow is out in a couple of weeks.
What can you tell us about the new album?
You
could in some ways say that it is the heaviest Greenleaf album yet,
but still in some songs also the softest one. So yeah, we really
worked on the dynamics of the songs, trying to squeeze out as much as
possible. I also think it has much more of a live-feel then the
previous album Trails and Passes.
Q-
How does the album differ from Trails & Passes?
As
said the live-feel and maybe a little bit more truthfulness and
roughness. On Trails And Passes we we're kind of finding "the
new Greenleaf sound" and on the new album we explore it.
Q-
Was it important to start the album with a track like A Million
Fireflies, a track that is heavy but catchy and a perfect example of
the Greenleaf sound?
Yeah
we decided in a pretty early stage that Fireflies would be a great
opener for the album. You know in a "-just hit the gas hard"
kind of way. An eye opener. Also it is a pretty good track to sum up
the album. Heavy but melodic, and soft in the middle. Like a good
candy bar.
Q-
There seems to be more of a classic rock element to the new album.
Were you listening to any of that classic stuff while making the
album?
We
always do... Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, King Crimson and so on. It's
our bread and butter. And then we mix it up we other stuff we like...
Kyuss for the heavy. Freddie King and Johnny Lee Hooker for the blues
and stuff like Fleet Foxes and The Black Keys for a more pop-side of
things.
Q-
Golden Throne has to be my favorite song on the album. Do you have a
favorite yet?
I'm
not sure but I really like Howl and Levitate And Bow Pt. 1&2. It
think it's because both song bring a bit of drama. And I like that
sort of thing.
Q-
You have made a brilliant video for A Million Fireflies. Can you tell
us about the video and the concept behind it?
Free
falling through life in very peculiar way surrounded by UV-glowing
naked ladies and festival lavatories. It's the Greenleaf way of life
sort of.
Q-
The artwork for the album is stunning. Can you tell us a bit about
it?
Well
I guess Sebastian Jerke should have most of the credit. He's and
amazing artist! But we had an original idea with a bear rising above
a meadow and then Sebastian came up with the planet idea and we
instantly loved it! The whole booklet looks like an old kids-book
almost, with all the these forest creatures inside. It's really cool!
Q-
Does the albums title have any significance?
Yeah
it's a title that sort of reflects on the theme of the lyrics. But
it's also sort of a statement on we're Greenleaf are now as a band.
Ready to "Rise Above The Meadow" haha.
Q-
Where does your lyrical inspiration come from?
I'm
very inspired by song writers who tell a tale but still leaves a lot
to the imagination. Guys like Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Jim Morrison
are a huge inspiration. The songs are often about strange
relationships and outcasts seeking a new path.
Q-
This is your second album on Napalm Records. How are things working
out on the label?
This
our first album on Napalm Records and so far it's been great haha.
Q-
Are you still as big purveyors of stoner rock as you when you started
out?
That's
probably a question for Tommi. But I don't think we look at ourselves
as a typical "stoner rock band". We play a sort of heavy
rock which sometimes takes us to a very hazy stoned out place and
sometimes let's us sit on a wooden porch sipping filthy bootlegged
whisky. It all depends on the mood for the day, we try not to have to
many boundaries. Tommi's favorite all time band is still KISS so...
Q-
Obviously the band are part of a great lineage that includes Dozer,
Demon Cleaner, Lowrider etc, is the Swedish scene that you were all a
part of still as close nowadays?
Well
people are getting older and are more busy nowadays with grown-up
jobs and so on, but yeah we're all still good friends.
Q-
How did your latest European tour go?
Very
good indeed! We just good home from Spain and Portugal and all shows
we're great... It's still such a fucking rush to come to a place
where you haven't been before, start playing and noticing that you
have a audience of 200 people who kind of knows your songs and are
singing along. It's pretty magical.
Q-
Have you been playing much new material?
So
far we have been doing 3 songs from the new album and people seem to
really dig them. Now this year we will do a lot more of new material
of course.
Q-
How would you describe a Greenleaf live show?
Well
we try to be as explosive as possible and really try involve people
in the show. At end the goal is that people feel included almost like
they all played in the band rather then just standing there watching.
I'm very influenced by guys like Otis Redding and James Brown who did
everything in there power to make people move.
Q-
You're about to head out on the road on the Up In Smoke 6 tour with
My Sleeping Karma and Mammoth Mammoth. Are you excited about that?
Yeah
of course! It's a great line-up. And I think we're going to have lots
of fun together.
Q-
Have you got any plans to do any festivals this summer?
Yes
we'll be playing a lot of festivals year. But we will announce them a
bit later..
Q-
How did the recent tour with Clutch go?
Very
well! It was great opportunity for us and we are very grateful to
Clutch for giving us the chance to tour with them. Now it's always
though to support a mighty live-act like clutch... But I think we did
alright
Q-
Have you got any memorable tales from the road?
Well
on the Up In Smoke-Festival two years ago Bengt Bäcke our former
blind bass-player lost both he's shoes in a muddy ditch due to some
strange drunken circumstances and had to walk around barefooted for
the rest of the day before we found him a couple of new sneakers. It
was pretty funny seeing him standing there blind, hungover and in
very muddy socks haha.
Q-
What does the rest of the year have in store for Greenleaf?
Touring.
It's not much time for for anything else.
Thanks to Mona and Claudia at Napalm
Records for helping put this interview together. Thanks to Arvid for
taking the time out to talking to us. Rise Above The Meadow will be released on CD/DD/Vinyl from Napalm Records on Feb 26th 2016.
Release
date: February 26th
2016. Label: Napalm Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Rise
Above The Meadow – Tracklisting
1.
A Million Fireflies
2.
Funeral Pyre
3.
Howl
4.
Golden Throne
5.
Carry Out The Ribbons
6.
Levitate And Bow (Pt. 1 & 2)
7.
You’re Gonna Be My Ruin
8.
Tyrants Tongue
9.
Pilgrims
10.
High And Low (Bonus Track)
Band
Members:
Tommi
Holappa - Guitar
Sebastian
Olsson - Drums
Hans
Fröhlich - Bass
Arvid
Jonsson - Vocals
Review:
Swedish
stoner rockers Greenleaf have been making waves in their respective
field of music since their initial rumblings back in the year 2000.
Having formed as an offshoot of brilliant Swedish stoner bands Dozer,
Lowrider and Demon Cleaner it was of no surprise that Greenleaf were
just as good at creating those hazy and heavy riffs.
Fast
forward 16 years and while some members of the band have changed
(Arvid Jonsson is the Greenleaf vocalist for this release, his second
album for the band) the sound has not and the hazy and heavy riffs
that the sound is built on is still there and sounds all the better
for it.
So,
yes the riffs are still all present and correct obviously but with
the addition of Jonsson as vocalist, following 2014s Trails &
Passes album, the band have morphed even more than their previous
album into a cross between their stoner roots and an almost classic
rock orientated sound and this works very well in a Kyuss meets a
heavier Deep Purple way with the focus on the hugely entertaining
riffs at the forefront.
A
Million Fireflies, the opening track on Rise Above The Meadows sets
things up nicely with its high octane and feel-good vibe (check out
the superb video for the song) and shows that the band haven't lost
their knack for a catchy song, pummelling riffs and all.
The
rest of the album is just as good as this frenzied opening , cranking
up the riffs throughout, with tracks like the magnificently anthemic
mid-paced swagger of Howl, the sprawling epic rock of Levitate And
Bow (Pt 1 & 2), the riff-led boogie of Golden Throne (which is
reminiscent of Clutch who the band recently supported on tour, a bill
made in riff heaven if ever there was one,) the titanic riffage of
You're Gonna Be My Ruin and the bruising Tyrants Tongue all
highlights on this delight of an album, an album that begs to be
listened to as soon as the last notes ring out at the end of the
album.
Fans
of the band will already know what to expect and will be eagerly
anticipating their latest fix of prime Swedish stoner rock and they
will delighted with what they hear and for the uninitiated (and they
need to get familiar with the band quickly) a plethora of riffs and
good times awaits them, this is good time riff fuelled rock and long
may the band continue doing this.
