A ferocious force is growing across the North Sea, and Norway is getting on board with Honningbarna.
It's selling like what now?
There are a few things I know about Norway: the rich history of the Scandinavian people exploring the world, their seafood is delicious, and one of my Norwegian friends once told me about this phrase: 'Det selges som hakka møkk.' Funnily enough, this translates to 'It’s selling like chopped shit,' which, contrary to what you might think, means it’s selling incredibly well or it's really popular. And if there’s one thing that’s 'selling like chopped shit' in Norway’s music scene right now, it’s the pure authenticity of Honningbarna.
"It seems natural to go mad to music. People should do it more often." -Honningbarna vocalist Edvard Valberg (Interviewed by James Hendicott)
Honningbarna, a post-hardcore noise rock band hailing from Kristiansand, Norway, translates to 'The Honey Children.' Emerging from this small city of 116,000 residents in Agder County, the band made their explosive debut with their self-titled EP in 2010. This band is currently comprised of five talented and energetic members: their vocalist and cello player Edvard Valberg, their guitarists Christoffer Trædal and Johan Hansson Liljeberg, bassist Tomas Berglund, and drummer Nils Nilsen.
I've got a 'Soft Spot' for Honningbarna.
Quite honestly, I had not known much of this group until quite recently. Their newest album, 'Soft Spot', came out just this past February with album art that I'll need to put up on the display wall. Thank you, artist Annika Linn Verdal Homme, for that!
On my first listen, I was immediately gripped– roaring guitars, heart-thumping drums, and of course Valberg's throat-grabbing vocals. Songs like 'MP5' open with an increasingly ominous tone and then the band comes in like a tornado that causes you just to spin your head around. It appears as if this record is leaning into more synthesizers and their sound is just twice as big as the previous album.
This is one of those bands that knows how to instigate feelings of anger, excitement, and action. Listen to 'Schäfer' and you will be gripped by an almost industrial-influenced punk rhythm section and then immediately follow it up with a healthy dose of 'God Gutt' which just thumps you with thick fuzzed-out bass lines.
Honningbarna continues to strike a chord with many listeners. This group of renegades continues to push their agenda outward and abandon the status quo that many other musical projects suffer from. One of those top dogs that Honningbarna has decided to flip the middle finger to is the music industry itself.
Bootlegging or fundamental ownership?
As we have been more than aware of, the music industry has grown into quite the conglomerate, especially with the current state of music streaming. However, we have also seen the rise of independent artists, bands, and labels being formed. In the ongoing battle between artists and corporate suits trying to claim ownership over content, Honningbarna put it plainly: they simply don't care about ownership. Instead, they'll continue to show their fans and the world that not even Honningbarna owns their music; it belongs to everyone.
Honningbarna 'bootlegs' their own music, but in their eyes it's more than just that. The fans that go to their shows and dial into their message are just as big a part of their music and energy as the lads who are writing the music. Valberg has said in an interview that this project he is a part of is bigger than just the band, it's a personal experience that is shared and no single entity should have exclusive ownership over it.
“We don’t own our music; we play it and sing it with the audience.” -Honningbarna vocalist Edvard Valberg (Interviewed by James Hendicott)
It truly is a beautiful philosophy, that even in my own projects, I'm inspired to bridge the gap from inception to the receiving arms of an audience. Their music is not just about ownership but participation and connection. This practice is, in plain terms, a political statement, but that's not the only statement that they make in the social climate Honningbarna and the rest of the world face.
Take the world.
One of the things that makes this band very unique is their dedication to using the Kristiansand dialect in their music. This is an aspect of their music that had never been an option to compromise on while going abroad. but even if you are a foreign listener to the band's message and lyrical content, Valberg says, "What we lose in words I think we gain in people understanding the rage or the energy." The 'rage' Valberg mentions doesn't come from nowhere either, it's the band's whole purpose.
Honningbarna is an advocate for social reform and justice. This is a band that has the longer-term goal of pushing for the dismantling of the capitalist system. Valberg has mentioned in interviews his disagreement with the direction the world is currently heading. Tired of folks separating themselves from the conversation, Honningbarna works to dissolve the barriers that make us feel provoked. This is a musical political project in which the line between art and entertainment becomes intertwined.
The more and more I continue to read up on this band it is more and more identifiable what this band's goals and values are. This group of talented musicians are directly calling out the establishment while also having the entire country's support backing them. I truly believe as they get more traction more and more folks will resonate with their message.
Honningbarna is coming for us in the most exciting and ferocious way! Listen to their newest album 'Soft Spot' and let me know what you think about it in the comments below! Check out their website for tickets near you, merch, and new releases!