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In 2024 Horndal (the band) continues to draw on the rich history of Horndal (the town) to inform their musical output. And this coming April, they will unveil the latest chapter that chronicles the lives of those that exist within Horndal - both the band and the town.

Following on from 2021’s Lake Drinker album - which saw Horndal scooping up accolades and achieving unprecedented publicity in their home country of Sweden - the irrepressible four piece have returned with Head Hammer Man. The ten track album is an ode to resistance, community and the defiant spirit that exists in the town of Horndal. More specifically, Head Hammer Man tells the tale of Alrik Andersson whose heroic story has been untold. Until now.

Horndal, Sweden, 1909.

The Great Strike rages across the entire country. Local union uprisings are crushed one by one. But a small group stands defiant – the ironworkers of Horndal. A group led by 27-year-old Alrik Andersson.

The steel company’s struggle against the striking workers had led to starvation, famine and mass evictions of families - and was on the brink of sparking a civil war. Workers from all over the country traveled in solidarity to Horndal to fight alongside the unionized, against the Swedish military, who had been sent there with bayonets drawn. To avoid starting a war, the Prime Minister eventually ordered the soldiers to lay down their weapons and the company executives to stop evicting the starving families.

Alrik fought tirelessly for his fellow workers' jobs, and was successful - but this came at a price. The company executives ensured that Alrik was blacklisted throughout Sweden, so that he could not find employment anywhere in the country. He was forced into exile and fled across the Atlantic on an overloaded ship with his wife and two small children. He ended up in Chicago, where he found work at a steel mill and was given the title – Head Hammer Man. He worked there until his death in 1970, never mentioning his life in Sweden to anyone. No one in Sweden, or even in Horndal remembers him.

Head Hammer Man is a tribute to Alrik Andersson, a chance for his story to live on, over one hundred years after he took a stand for the people of Horndal. His tale is woven throughout the most ambitious, inspired and expansive compositions that Horndal have created to date. Not only inspired by this one remarkable man, the band have drawn influence from all corners of their record collections. From Pugh Rogefeldt to Autopsy, Wipers to Judas Priest, Hawkwind to Mercyful Fate, Don Cherry to Voivod. A riff borrowed from Sparks here, a solo borrowed from Jake E Lee there. Brass arrangements alongside layered harmony guitars. John Barry's The Persuaders theme next to King Crimson and The Jesus Lizard. Black Sabbath and The Shadows, Slayer and Sonic Youth.

The album was recorded in various locations across Sweden, including at the legendary Atlantis Metronome studios - including Swedish icons ABBA, whose very own grand piano is featured on Head Hammer Man. The album was mixed by Simon Söderberg at Mayfire Studio, and mastered by Magnus Lindberg and Redmount Studios. Horndal invited their good friends to add to the album’s sonic landscape; Martin Hederos (The Soundtrack of Our Lives etc) plays organs and Moogs, whilst Henrik Palm (In Solitude, Ghost, Viagra Boys) contributed two hair raising guitar solos. The Head Hammer Man himself even makes a cameo with excerpts from a speech included in the title track. History may have forgotten him but Horndal never will.

Head Hammer Man will be released by Prosthetic Records on April 5, 2024.

Henrik Levahn - vocals and guitars

Pontus Levahn - drums, guitars, piano, percussion

Fredrik Boethius - guitars

Daniel Ekeroth - bass

Latest HORNDAL News

HORNDAL ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM, 'HEAD HAMMER MAN'; LEAD SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO, 'BLACKLISTED', OUT NOW

Feb 28, 2024

Sweden's HORNDAL has today announced they'll be releasing their third album, titled Head Hammer Man, on April 5 via Prosthetic Records. Alongside the album announcement HORNDAL has shared the lead single and music video, Blacklisted, which premiered via Swedenrock Magazine. On the self-proclaimed rusty metal band's latest full-length the band share the previously untold real life story of Alrik Andersson, a 1900s union leader from their eponymous hometown and his role in The Great Strike. The captivating tale of Andresson will also see a book written by HORNDAL to accompany the album - with further details to be revealed.

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