We spent most of the past week picking through the sonic wreckage of North African metal and finding all sorts of exotic gems. It was one more reminder (as if we needed one) that the world of metal encompasses an immense variety of music, and the sound continues to evolve all over the world. What other musical genre can match it?
In celebrating the diversity of metal, it’s a fitting way for us to cap off the week by bringing Trollfest to your attention. This Norwegian band is sort of a global village unto themselves. Try wrapping your mind around this concept: speed metal plus oompa music plus Balkan folk tunes plus middle eastern melodies plus Converge-style hardcore shrieking plus more speed metal plus beer and vodka plus more speed metal.
Sound tempting? No? Well, see if this recent press release increases your interest:
When a band that defines its music as “true Norwegian Balkan metal” chooses to debut a track from its new album on July 9 so that it can celebrate the Constitution Day of Palau (an island lying in the Pacific, and one of the world’s youngest and smallest sovereign states) it is going to be a safe bet that the album will cross geographical boundaries in sound and influence.
Getting more interested? How ’bout this: That debut track is called “Die Verdammte Hungersnot”. We’re pretty sure “verdammte” means “damned” in German. What do you think “hungersnot” means? (more after the jump, including musical dementia for your consumption . . .)
We have no fucking idea what “hungersnot” means, but we’re guessing it probably means pretty much what it sounds like.
So, are you getting more interested in Trollfest? No?
Oh, come on, how can you resist listening to a song that’s got hungersnot in the title?
Well, how ’bout this cover for the band’s last album:
Now is that some fine artwork or what? Armored satanic duck metal anyone?
Admit it: you’re really getting interested now, aren’t you?
No? What the fuck else do you have to do at the moment? Loosen up your sphincters and listen to the damned hungersnot song!
There. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Lots of shit going on in that song, but we thought it hung together fairly well. We’re hungry for snot now. How ’bout you?
No? Well, look, don’t stop with just the one song. Here’s another one, off the band’s last release, a 2009 EP called Uraltes Elemente. Go on, lap it up:
Trollfest is currently looking for a label for the release of their fourth album, which includes that hungersnot song. The album will be called En Kvest For Den Hellige Gral, which the band says can be roughly translated as “A Quest For the Holy Grail”, and is a play on the word “quest” in both the accepted sense, and in the sense of the Norwegian word “kvesting,” which refers to the crushing of the crusaders.
But we’re sure you already knew that.
You can buy digital downloads of the band’s last album (the early 2009 release featuring the armored satanic duck cover) and that more recent EP via a link on the Trollfest MySpace page (at this location).
Now wipe your verdammte nose and carry on with your day.
11 Responses to “HUNGERSNOT, DAMMIT!”
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FUCK YEAH… love me some TrollfesT. These guys are fucking insane and one of the most creative folk metal bands out there. New sing kicks serious ass.
They definitely are insane. Funny — and ass-kicking. Not a bad combination. Should have realized you would already know of them. 🙂
This is reminiscent of Finntroll, but I like these guys better. Good find. This group has what Odious is missing. Everything melds together so much better.
Glad your diggin it. The more I’m listening to this, the more I’m liking it. There’s a flash of creativity in this music thst’s unique. In a very freaked-out way, it embodies what I was trying to say about the creativity in metal that I’m not hearing in any other kind of music right now.
Who would have thought traditional folk music could be so metal.
I’m also digging it.
It is sorta like Finntroll, but with a faster kind of pace and a lack of in your face humpaa, but “Die Verdammte Hungersnot” does have a similar kind of energetic vibe to it. Metal can be fun, and it’s clear that these guys had fun in the studio. And oddly enough, some of the elements in “hungersnot” and “Byttedyr” are similar to the oriental elements of the previous few days owrht of bands. Sure, they aren’t a Norwegian Orienttal Folk Metal Band, but this does sound a bit different that the breeds of folk metal that come out of northern Europe – and it works!
My German’s rusty, so it’s going to take someone from Germany or someone who speaks it more actively than I to get the translation right, but I’d translate hungersnot as craving. So, in my mind, the song is called “that damned craving” or something along those lines. Some phrases can’t really be translated word for word and there are sometimes more than one way to “say” it. As to what they’re craving, I don’t know.
Oh, as that’s one metal fucking duck. I wonder if the duck’s on the menu?
Oh, now you’ve gone and ruined my fun by pointing out that “hungersnot” is an actual German word. I don’t know German, but some internet sleuthing reveals you are damned close in your definition. It seems to mean “famine”, though the word “craving” and the translated title “that damned craving” sounds better to me. I haven’t found lyrics yet . . .
Famine might be a better translation. Again, it’s one of those things that may be open to interpretation and the context in which it’s used. And like I said, my German’s rusty, so I’m not sure if craving works or not – I’d have to have the lyrics (and translate them) to be sure. I’m having a hard time picking up anything, but there’s a good chance the song itself isn’t sung in German – after all, lots of bands use German titles (or any other language for that matter) and the song itself is in their native language.
But seriously, I don’t need or want a song about snot. Maybe a medicalcore band could do something with that (“Asphyxiation By Excessive Phlegm” anyone?), but a folk metal band? Sure, drinking sometimes leads to excesses of snot and other bodily fluids and secretions for various orifices, but that doesn’t mean I want a song about a runny nose!
Medicalcore! I think you’ve just coined a new subgenre label. Now we just have to find a band that suits the label. I nominate General Surgery, the recently reunited Autopsy, and the recently disbanded Abscess!
Don’t forget Pathologist! According to Wikipedia, they’re back together and a new album may be in the works.
Hell, a lot of goregrind bands would fit the bill, looking at album and/or song titles alone, not to mention many death metal bands. Maybe we can get WebMD to sponsor the Hypochondriac Cadaver tour or something.
Superb tour idea! And I forgot to mention Pathology until you mentioned Pathologist. The new Pathology album is sitting patiently on my iPod waiting to be heard, though it’s starting to leak blood.