Abramis Brama: Enkel Biljett

Scandic retro-rock veterans refuse to tread water

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On their sixth full-length album since their inception in 1997, Stockholm quartet Abramis Brama (named after the Latin for a species of bream, hence the fishy sleeve) have a neat line in hot, crunchy stoner riff action and quirky psychedelic guitar fun with wide-ranged bluesy vocals belting out neatly harmonised all-Swedish lyrics.

While the band’s native-language approach works best on the more exotic, mystical vibes of Lång Tripp or Vaggar Mig Till Ro, Enkel Biljett cuts a more accessible dash that renders the foreign lyrics jarring in among touches of Orange Goblin, Clutch or Spiritual Beggars – although Abramis Brama have bowed to pressure and sung in English in the past, they seem to prefer their native tongue.

Slipping in jam-room experiments like Jonzos Bolero alongside raunchy riff-rockers like Blåa Toner, Abramis Brama have the bases covered, and while Sweden isn’t in danger of running out of vintage-gear retro-rawk shapes, these beardy longhairs have their shit nailed.

Chris Chantler

Chris has been writing about heavy metal since 2000, specialising in true/cult/epic/power/trad/NWOBHM and doom metal at now-defunct extreme music magazine Terrorizer. Since joining the Metal Hammer famileh in 2010 he developed a parallel career in kids' TV, winning a Writer's Guild of Great Britain Award for BBC1 series Little Howard's Big Question as well as writing episodes of Danger Mouse, Horrible Histories, Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed and The Furchester Hotel. His hobbies include drumming (slowly), exploring ancient woodland and watching ancient sitcoms.