Review: Järnbörd ‘Filmer För Blinda’

Although death metal is often the heavy genre people most associate with Sweden, the nation’s contribution to grindcore should never be underestimated. From the early ‘90s onwards, Swedish grindcore bands formed a unique sound by combining the pioneering d-beat crust punk of bands like Anti Cimex and Mob 47, with the death metal tones of Entombed and At The Gates.

Headed up by Nasum, you also had the brutal medical obsession of General Surgery, the humorous abandon of Birdflesh, the wild derangement of Gadget and the pioneering goregrind of Regurgitate. This new wave of bands, along with many others across Europe, were integral to grindcore being seen as a serious form with longevity rather than just a weird offshoot that would soon be tossed aside.

Skip forward to 2024, and to Malmö, the third city of Sweden but not one often associated with Sweden’s heavy music output. When I moved here a little under two years ago, Järnbörd happened to be the first band I saw live in the city as support for Full Of Hell. Formed in 2015 from members of various other local bands, they have not only been producing some excellent modern crust infused grindcore across numerous releases and splits, but also proudly flying the flag for their city’s underground heavy music scene.

Filmer För Blinda (Films For The Blind, in case the cover image didn’t give it away) is without doubt their most comprehensive and expansive record yet. Not only does it showcase some wonderful creativity, but it also feels like an album with real purpose and focus behind it. I find that much of modern grindcore seems to aim for experimentation in the fastest and most chaotic reaches of the genre. But there is actually lots of invention to be had when pairing things back, finding that breathing space which can then be filled with something new as opposed to just suffocating the life out of the sound. It is something they do exceptionally well on Filmer För Blinda, and they do it without ever losing that essential ferocity.

For the most part, Järnbörd’s sound is a mix of classic grindcore with groovier d-beat and crust punk. The guitars and bass are heavy as hell but still full of character, and the drums are rapid but still intelligible. The vocals are more from the hardcore side of grind, intense but at the same time quite dynamic. Tracks like Gärning Och Lidande, Vi Ska Ätas, Vi Ska Dömas and the vicious Dött Format showcase this sonic blend, focusing mostly on the simplicity of a great riff played at full power. Rockar Med Mammon has a real sense of fun in its melodies, mixing in a bit of heavy metal joy amongst the fury.

Filmer För Blinda is an absolute triumph…

There are also tracks with a more Swedish death metal flavour in the riffing, like the chunky and visceral title track Filmer För Blinda, and the surprisingly intricate Okomplicerad. Then closer Nu Kör Vi spends its first half wielding a brutally heavy riff, before moving into one of the many moments of electronic deviation.

These epic synth lines, glitching electronics and industrial tones are a feature that really make Järnbörd stand out. Contrasting against the frenzied guitars and breakneck drums, they provide some really surprising and memorable moments. There is the slower pace and melodic vocals of Flickan I Snön; the menacing synth walls that sit within the dark and intimidating Ormens Väg På Kvarnberget; and the phenomenal grand finale of Nu Kör Vi, all spacey synths and sludgey chugging guitars, reminding me of bands like KEN mode and Wallowing.

Industrial music has always had an influence on grindcore, the two styles having originated from similar sources in the UK, and British bands like Napalm Death and Anaal Nathrakh have consistently featured elements of it in their sound. Järnbörd offer their take on this in Rockens Heraldrik, a disorientating fog of screeching electronics, piercing guitars, thick bass, tense drumming and vivid vocals. It definitely feels like an outlier on the record, but it is also a very interesting shift.

There are plenty of tremendous grindcore records which are great to listen to as a whole, but on repeat listens don’t really offer anything new to discover. Filmer För Blinda definitely breaks from that, and I found this record continuing to grow on me through each listen. Every song feels like it has been crafted with real creative thought behind it, and not just as an assorted collection of riffs and rhythms.

The electronic and melodic elements never feel out of place, and every time a track seems to have reached its limits, there is a transformation or segue that gives it continued life. To do this within the natural time constrictions of the genre is no mean feat. Filmer För Blinda is an absolute triumph, and I truly hope it gives Järnbörd the platform to become a much bigger name within grindcore.

Label: 7 Degrees Records | De:Nihil Records | Esagoya Records | Hecatombe Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Will J