HENRIK PALM
Nerd Icon LP BLACK

Svart Records, black vinyl, “In a music realm that often feels as exciting as watching paint dry, Henrik Palm revitalizes the mundane, injecting life with the grim and unsettling. While "Poverty Metal" blazed a trail, "Nerd Icon" takes a deeper plunge into shadowy themes, exploring the space between the sinister and the sublime, echoing a life less touched by joy. Guitars command attention, sound captivates focus, and the vision remains transparent, driven by an unbridled spirit. In these times, where artistic offerings often lack substance, Henrik's third album under his name bursts forth with brilliance, offering a raw, soul-baring experience. It's music that transcends and explodes within the recesses of your mind, shattering boundaries and obliterating limitations. "Subway Morgue" feels like Van Halen reimagined by a tribe of rat people—a mutated take on classic rock for those who've lost their way. [...] You might even find your mental gears grinding in sync with the relentless crescendo of "Lunch Hour (Of the Wolf)". Within the darkness, a glimmer of positivity emerges in "Swim to the Light," a momentary respite. Picture a blend of Alice Cooper's "Goes to Hell" and Sopor Aeternus, the first Gauze album played at half speed, infused with Magazine minus the problematic lyrics, and delivered by Bobb Trimble in a dumpster fire—devoid of vaudeville nonsense. Henrik Palm, a street level sorcerer, seamlessly travels through record collections and musical realms, from eerie gothic rock, via heavy metal "heroticism" to anarchic punk tempests. His avant-garde explorations defy convention, employing unique song crafting methods and dissonant harmonies, guiding listeners through hallucinatory dimensions. In an enigmatic twist, Henrik channels H.P. Lovecraft's prose, crafting arcane soundscapes where cosmic horrors and existential enigmas collide—an eldritch portal into the depths of the human psyche, a mysterious tapestry of melodies. Every moment is a riveting one; if you've got headphones, steel yourself for an abyss that swallows you whole. Prepare to be chained and shackled to the train tracks as you plunge into "Nerd Icon".” — Ted Cadwalleder