CLAWFINGER – Hate Yourself With Style

This Swedish band is still going strong with their sixth album since their explosive start in 1993. With the album, Deaf Dumb Blind, and the hit single “Nigger,” they sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide. The band has been around since 1988, when Zac Tell (vocal /lyrics) and Jocke Skog (keyboards) got together and started Clawfinger.

With their second album, Use Your Brain, they got even more attention, with songs like “Pin Me Down” and “Do What I Say.” After the third album, Clawfinger, the band took a break for several years before they got back together and released the album A Whole Lot Of Nothing in 2001. Two years later, the CD called Zeroes And Heroes was out. But, to face the facts, Clawfinger’s first two albums are what made them famous outside of Sweden.

Earlier this year, they signed up with a new label, Nuclear Blast –- and on the 18th of November, 2005, will be the release of the album Hate Yourself With Style. This is an impressive CD, with some exciting music. Zac Tell, who is the man behind the lyrics, is known to shock and provoke. Tell forces himself to step behind the words, which gives the listeners a sense to read between the lines, and this release is no exception.

They are not holding back, and with the opener, “The Faggot In You,” they get the listeners attention. This is an angry song, with some heavy guitar riffs and some quiet parts, along with soft background vocals, then it all breaks loose into an almost violent sound with the vocalist yelling “Find the faggot in you.”

Another song which catches attention is “Right To Rape,” where they are pointing at an important issue! When they ask, “If a woman rapes a man, will the verdict be the same?”

Track two, the title track “Hate Your Self With Style,” is one of the weaker songs on this release. It doesn’t have the same nerve as many of the others tracks. It is simply too average and a bit boring. However, the next song, “Dirty Lies,” is the opposite and one of the highlights on the CD. It’s like Tell’s melodic hooks stand out as the main feature, and some other songs on this album follow this similar style –- “Hypocrite,” “God Is Dead,” and “Breakout (Embrace The Child Inside You).”

This time, Clawfinger has released an album with a Punkish style, which at some points can compare with a band like Faith No More. All in all, this is a good release, but this album is not equal to the two first albums, but they are heading in the right direction. Hopefully, they will continue this ride, and the next album will be even better!

Lineup:
Zak Tell – vocals/lyrics
Jocke Skog – keyboards/vocals
André Skaug – bass
Bård Torstensen – guitar
Henka Johansson – drums