Sweden’s high-flying garage rock outfit The Hawkins are set to release a new mini-album in autumn 2021. Following the release of 2020’s ”Silence is a Bomb” and its affiliated live album”Live in the Woods”, The Hawkins decided to make something different. The result is ”Aftermath”, a conceptual mini-album, dealing with the destructive aftermath of past relationships.
“The theme of Aftermath is kind of like the five stages of grief – but in the context of a relationship falling apart. There is denial in ignoring the signals of destructive relationships. There is anger toward self-profiteering martyrdom and recurring self-hatred from constantly fucking things up. Bargaining and begging for someone else to help you out of misery. Depression as an outcome in almost everything and acceptance in letting go.”
On ”Aftermath”, The Hawkins’ rock n roll-wittiness is presented in slightly darkened nuances. The band’s highly dynamic and quirky take on garage rock is performed with an underlying sense of held-back anger, angst, and apprehension. Experimental and bolder than before, ”Aftermath” offers 6 tracks moving from explosive outbursts of energy to calmer, acoustic parts, with manic episodes in between.
Despite its lyrical theme, The Hawkins’ signature mix of entertaining songwriting and easy-going energy is present throughout ”Aftermath”, adding up to a highly ambivalent mixture of dead seriousness and fun.
”Aftermath” was recorded at Shiitake Sounds. Mixed by Johannes Carlsson and mastered by Hans Olsson. Cover artwork for the mini-album and its single tracks by Joel “Kebabfinger” Kallioniemi.
”Aftermath” will be released via The Sign Record on September 3. The mini-album will be available on all streaming platforms and 12” vinyl.
Connect with The Hawkins:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/thehawkinsswe
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/thehawkinsband
Bandcamp:
https://thehawkinsband.bandcamp.com
The Hawkins Biography:
A rock band inside a kitchen during a house fire. An ironic soundtrack to the apocalypse. Lyrically Hyde, sonically Jekyll. With a splendid mix of swing, energy, and punk’n’roll, Sweden’s The Hawkins delivers rock music at its finest. Combining high-flying, infectious melodies with exploding energy and dynamic songwriting into one vibrant soundscape. Blending the best of many worlds, The Hawkins could be described as an encyclopedia of rock.
In 2021 The Hawkins is releasing “Aftermath”. A 6-track mini-album that deals with the aftermath of tattered relationships, anger in between panic attacks, hearing yourself hoping for someone else to save you and finally giving up. With a dark yet humoristic energy The Hawkins goes from plastic jazz to cleithrophobic film music, via bubblegum pop and Rolling Stones -hardcore. Hurtful and fun.
The four members signed a record deal with The Sign Records in 2019 and released their second full-length album “Silence is a Bomb” in the middle of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. Not being able to play shows, they decided to record a select number of songs from the album as a live show in the middle of the woods, a brewery and a barn. The three recording sessions resulted in the 2021 live album “Live in the Woods”.
In 2017 the band’s first full-length album “Ain’t Rock n Roll” came out via Gain Sony Music followed by extensive touring through Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and France. The band even got to teach the love of music at a school in Sachseln, Switzerland. In return, the Swiss kids taught them about extremely strong chewing tobacco.
The Hawkins debut EP “Part II: The Puppet Show” was released in 2014. The same year, The Hawkins played all over their home country including great festivals such as Sweden Rock Festival, Peace & Love and Metallsvenskan. The year also included a Russian tour, driving 1830 miles through a -30°C winter.
Born and raised within a two-square-meter-big Swedish town back in March 2013, Albin, Johannes, Martin, and Mikael have together shared their musical journeys since they plucked their first chords. Initially the four lovers were floating through life. Every rehearsal was colourful; Loud drums, resonant guitar cabs, cheap jokes echoing through the rehearsal building halls and cheap beer flowing like an amber flood. True love had struck the four friends.
But every relationship has its dark moments. In the summer of 2018 the band went touring in Poland and Slovakia. After 1 show the bus broke down in Wrocław, Poland. With practically everything they owned inside it. And the icing on the cake in the face was that Johannes forgot the papers stating his ownership of the bus. Good job, dude. In 2015 while driving to a show, Johannes honestly considered crashing the bus at 110 km/h because he was so fed up with the other three guys. They had only been on the road for 15 minutes. As If that wasn’t enough, while packing for the 2019 UK Tour, The Hawkins had to cancel the whole tour due to booking issues. One day before departure.
But still, here they are in 2021 with the new mini-album “Aftermath”. But despite the dark moments and despite the dark themes surrounding the new mii-album, The Hawkins is not giving up. The relationship grows stronger through the constant aftermath of all the ups and downs. You just gotta balance the value of the ever-flowing variables.
The Hawkins:
Johannes Carlsson: Guitars/Lead vocals
Mikael Thunborg: Guitars/Backing vocals
Martin Larsson: Bass/Backing vocals
Albin Grill: Drums/Backing vocals
“Aftermath” is distributed by:
Cargo – Germany, Switzerland and Austria
MVD – North America, Japan, New Zealand and Australia
Plastic Head – UK & Eire
Border – Sweden, Norway
Supersounds – Finland
Soundworks – France
Mystic – Poland, Czech Rep, Slovakia and Slovenia
Audioglobe – Italy
Musicworld – Hungary
Wizard – Bulgaria
Suburban – Holland & Belgium
Karonte – Spain & Portugal
