Release Date: July 17th 2026. Record Label: Superlord Recordings. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Bortom - Tracklist
1.Mörk Vind 09:13
2.Faller och Förvittrar 09:33
3.Orkan 12:14
4.Bortom 05:34
Lineup
Craig Murphy - Vocals
Marcelo Varge - Guitars
Sebastian Sparr - Bass
Jason Hodgkins - Drums
Review
Bortom is the second full length album Post-Metallers Hämnd which sometimes operates with an instrumental sound as its main creative drive. There are great vocals that appear when only they’re really needed as Hämnd demonstrate their own hard-hitting style of emotionally cruising Post-Metal sounds that mixes the technical merits of Progressive Metal with elements of Ambient based Post-Rock. The record does have an “Ice-cold” vibe that all great Post-Metal records continuously strive for where you can hear influences from the likes of NEUROSIS, PELICAN, ISIS and CULT OF LUNA.
There is an element of surprise with Hämnd as they ultimately turn off the heavy Post-Metal grooves when you least expect it and transform into a meditative style of Post-Doom and Post-Rock which you fully experience within the epic opening track of Mörk Vind. The vocals continuously hold your attention even whilst they’re sung in the band’s native tongue. Though, it’s the music that’s the main attraction here with Hämnd developing an aggressive journey of different Post-Rock and Post-Metal themes throughout the album.
Hämnd plays perfectly constructed and very lengthy instrumental passages which becomes more emotionally charged with each passing track as that thrilling Sludge Metal mentality allows Hämnd to become even more brutal with their music especially on tracks such as Faller och Förvittrar and Orkan. These tracks alone allows the band to add levels of cinematic “DOOM & GLOOM” into their music whilst once again transforming their music into that classic style of instrumental Post-Metal which does remind me of Russian Circles and Pelican at the peak of their creative powers.
Sometimes there’s an undeniable “APOCALYPTIC” or “END OF THE WORLD” presence that’s holding everything together where Hämnd do offer brief moments of hope before returning to their highly destructive and brutal style of Post-Metal. The “HARDCORE” vocals become more demanding and quite unforgiving which makes the later stages of the album truly stand out.
The added use of clever sonic experimentation which delves into further areas of Ambient Sounds and Psychedelic textures gives Borton a vivid and destructive atmosphere which allows the listener to be emotionally involved with the whole musical journey that Hämnd has created here. To make the album even more part of the Post-Metal world, the whole thing was mastered by the legendary Magnus Lindberg (CULT OF LUNA) which is only a small winning part of why this record sounds incredible from start to finish.
Hämnd have delivered a truly exceptional record which no self-respecting Post-Metal fan should be without. This album pays homage to the legendary sounds first played by the great bands of the era whilst allowing Hämnd the perfect opportunity to create highly original Sludge/Post-Metal sounds of their own making.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Links
Bandcamp: https://hamndband.bandcamp.com/album/bortom
Youtube full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXFAzuekAJg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5UAYC8EJi7OZ84qIz7sxNZ?si=sqbctwX2R3mltHlCpVMe2Q
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hamndband
Instagram.com https://www.instagram.com/hamndofficial
