Hellsingland Underground Earth’s Gonna Shake
You have to have hope you know. Otherwise you might as well lay down and die.” – Charlie Granberg
by Walter Price
What a busy year for Swedish rockers Hellsingland Underground, they’re in the midst of celebrating their 10 year anniversary, gearing-up for festival club dates and all the while we the fans and friends wait for their new album ‘Understanding Gravity’ to hit stores or how and wherever you buy things now.
The first single)video “Earth’s Gonna Shake” in my opinion is their most accomplished work to date. Creating more anticipation than I can shake a stick at. The track in question travels chapters of songwriter Charlie Granberg’s life and perceptions. Pain, loss, worldwide injustices and sure this may sound gloomy but hold on for a bit, the second half moves swiftly and poetically into hope and need for a better future. Granberg told me about the story-line, “It’s one of those songs where I have tried to put it all in there, lyricwise, instead of writing about a special period, person or subject e.t.c. It talks about everything from my parents divorce, childhood friends, old love, and growing up discovering how the world really works. I was trying to describe a feeling of how everything changes all the time. Things you take for granted goes will always transform, die or disappear, sooner or later. But towards the end of the song I describe some kind of hope that I still have for the future. You have to have hope you know. Otherwise you might as well lay down and die.”
As you should know Granberg and company are organic rock n roll. By this I am saying these fellows have never put out an album for sales and fame, because they operate in realistic terms. Make great music, love your fans and tell the truth and the rest will come. You feel these things in their sounds and it endears folks to follow and support.
As far as telling the truth and bringing reality into song I asked vocalist Granberg if “Earth’s Gonna Shake” is the most personal song on the album, “There are a lot of really personal songs on this album. I’m always trying to get down to the core of things. To say the things I want to say in the simplest way possible, without coming off as corny. It’s a fine line sometimes, but I think I have managed to pull it off this time. We’re all extremely happy about the outcome of this album.”
The HU frontman directed video continues in the the band’s tradition of the concept of the video is the band itself. Live clips, hanging out a bit of dance and a whole lot of Hellsingland Underground….Perfection.
BAND
CHARLIE GRANBERG – LEAD VOCALS & HARMONICA
MATS OLSSON – LEAD & RYTHM GUITAR, VOCALS
PETER HENRIKSSON – LEAD & RYTHM GUITAR, VOCALS
MARTIN KARLSSON – BASS
THOMAS PETTERSSON – PIANO & ORGAN
PATRIK JANSSON – DRUMS & PERCUSSON
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