Album Review: Häxan – White Noise
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
A good friend of mine has raved about Häxan for some time. They’d virtually passed me by but the opportunity to put that right has arrived and I can see why he enjoys them so much. Coming from my hometown I’m ashamed that my interest had only skirted around the periphery. Sure, I’d seen them live at Fuel Rock Club, but I’d never paid anything other than the slightest interest. Thankfully, I can now put that right as their debut album ‘White Noise’ is a very tasty affair.
Superbly produced by Todd Campbell (son of Phil) at Stompbox Studios, the nine tracks which make up this initial offering are slick, powerful, and polished whilst retaining the rawness that you want from a power trio. The band have already done their time, with a glut of festival appearances under their belt and their confidence shines through here.
The album opens with the fiery ‘Damned If You Do’, a fast and energetic song which sets the tone. With plenty of hard rocking riffs, the track is an anthemic fist in the air and good choice to kick things off. Whilst there is a certain tone and style to their play, each of the tracks on ‘White Noise’ bring something a little different to the table. ‘Grave Digger’, apparently written in about 15 minutes, is a slower paced track, charting those bad situations you just can’t leave. Then there’s the razor sharp ‘Nine Lives’, a track that drops the aggression but maintains the drive. The smouldering ‘Black Sheep’ builds towards epic choruses and stands apart from the traditional rock ballad; there is plenty of grit in this track. And in case you missed it, these girls can rock with the best, as the first single ‘Skeletons’ has already proved with its bouncing, punky riffs and good time attitude.
There are numerous influences tucked away within the band, but the variety in their song writing provides the individuality that sets them apart from many of their peers. Vocalist Sam Bolderson’s smoky tones carry ample variety, her clean delivery perfect for the band’s style. Bolderson’s guitar work is solid and backed by the tight rhythm section of bassist Harriet Wadeson and drummer Jess Hartley.
Having fought hard to complete the album during the current lockdown, Häxan have made the bold decision to release their album despite the lack of opportunity to tour or promote it. For their growing number of fans this is the right decision. The band explained. "We debated postponing the album launch until there was more certainty in our (and your) lives. We ultimately decided that so many of our fans and friends had been asking for this album for so long, that it was only right to continue with its launch and hopefully help to give everyone a little something to look forward to. We want 'White Noise' to be able to mask the sounds of the uncertain outside world that's around all of us currently, to allow people to escape it. It's an opportunity to shut everything else out and enjoy the incredible potency of music."
They are not wrong. ‘White Noise’ is an impressive debut, sitting neatly in the classic rock genre and whilst they have already attracted a strong following, it’s unlikely that this debut will do anything but increase that following.
