Swedish hardcore quintet ANCHOR deliver their second album “Recovery” three years after their debut, a record that sounds harder, filthier and yet more emotional than anything the straight-edge band has done before. This special Australian release is a matte finish digipak printed with enviro-friendly eco-soybean ink. For fans of Trial, Verse, Strife and Have Heart.
Pressing:
500 x CDs
REVIEWS:
Coffeemug Zine #10 [Philippines]
ANCHOR – Recovery
Anchor is a straight-edge hardcore band from Sweden. Probably one of the finest hardcore bands nowadays. Recovery has twelve shout-along/sing-along songs, aggressive and positive hardcore. They toured across Europe, North America and more to come. I hope these lads will come here in the Philippines and give us a real hardcore show. And I’m pretty sure all the hardcore kids here will go crazy. Well Pee Records is consistently releasing good quality records. This is such great stuff. It really caught my attention Pete! I would love to recommend Anchor’s music if you’re a fan of Verse or Have Heart. Great diverse CD! Get a copy of Australian Digipak version of Recovery now!!
Smorgasboader #8
ANCHOR – Recovery
This is usually all Aussie releases, but considering Adelaide’s Pee Records trusted these vegan Swedes enough to put them on his roster, we figured it was okay, especially considering the nautical theme… So, Recovery is well packaged, well produced, for fans of ridiculously catchy and memorable hardcore. Shouty vocals – check. Huge riffs – check. An absolute standout track is number 5, Recovering. If you like it noisy, check out this great CD. You don’t even need a small spanner to use it. Rating: 3/5
AsIce E-zine [Netherlands]
ANCHOR – Recovery
Anchor has been one of those bands that have been around for a few years now. Despite their extensive touring that brought them through Europe and the US, they never really caught my attention. With their new full length ‘Recovery’ they prove me wrong. Once in a while you come across a record that sticks with you. A record that keeps lingering on in your head after turning it off. Recovery is one of those records. It brings you more than just fast paced, hard hitting hardcore, of which there’s been enough around lately. Anchor manages to put depth in hardcore songs without sounding forced or complex. The band sounds melancholic at times (‘In Sickness and in Health’), but without losing their hard sound. The tracklist seems carefully chosen and put together, making the record dynamic. And it’s that balance that makes it interesting all they way through. But it’s not just music that makes hardcore what it is. Anchor understands that very well. They bring you their message in an almost poetic kind of way. ‘This heart still beats. Unrestrained. I found self-confidence through my sobriety. I found a place where I feel safe. A testament against the grain.’ I reckon this needs no further explanation. Anyone that loves 90’s hardcore and expects something more out of hardcore than just a few tunes to mosh to should check out Anchor. They will be on tour with Trial and Run With The Hunted starting September this year. Rating: 4/5
PEE #47
ANCHOR – Recovery
Anchor are a Swedish vegan straight edge band who have been kicking out their jams for sometime now. They have a bunch of earlier material such as their ‘Quiet Dance’ LP and ‘Singles Collected’ compilation LP that from what I have read received rave reviews. Regarded as being one of the best and hardest working European hard core acts it is easy to see why when you listen to their latest full length ‘Recovery’. I must say initially I nearly stupidly nearly never gave these guys a fair go, anticipating ‘just another’ modern melodic hc band. Yes, they play modern and melodic hard core but unlike so many of the same breed these lads keep it interesting all the way to the finish line. I don’t listen to a fraction of this type of hc as I used to but this album has held me in its grip since Pete landed it in my lap. And, don’t for a second write me off because you think I’m talkin’ up ‘Recovery’ just because my mate is releasing it. This album is totally 100% solid. What keeps interesting is that it has plenty of variation. The opening track ‘Testament’ kicks off perfectly and would sound quite at home on a Boy Sets Fire album. Cracking way to start. Infectious guitar, pumping gang vocals and building tempos. ‘Hemingway’ takes on a darker, harsher sound reminiscent of the almighty Judge. ‘Awakening’ sees the pace pick up with thrashy, metal influenced sounds and continues the blazing first half of the album. ‘Recovering’ and ‘The Insight’ keep things cranking into the second half with a slightly more aggressive approach before ‘Lake Elisnore’ melts your face off. There’s no dull moments on ‘Recovery’. This is just a pure, honest, passionate hard core album done extremely well and hard to fault. Fingers crossed for a tour announcement. Definitely a band that should appeal to a wide variety of crew and definitely a band you need to hear. Worth mentioning also is the sexy digipak this killer piece comes in. A sweet as matte finish digi with the plastic clip on disc carrier thingy as opposed to those hideous cardboard sleeves that scratch the disc to buggery that are so common these days. I hate those things with a passion. The cover and booklet art contain some cool photography and apparently in true vegan style its all printed using soy ink. Totally cool. Once again, its at Pee’s criminally cheap prices so you got nothing to lose. Do yourself a favour and pick up one of this years highlights. Awesome.
Rating: 97 – Review by: Macca
News Hit
ANCHOR – Recovery
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Pee Records have an uncanny knack for signing high quality international acts seemingly out of thin air. The label’s latest release by Swedish hardcore outfit Anchor sees this trend continue, with the group’s newest record Recovery set to drop in Australia this month. With a sound that blends heavy mid-tempo instrumentation with powerfully gruff vocals, Recovery is a densely layered and uncompromising affair that still manages to incorporate just enough dynamic variation into the mix to help the group stand out amongst an increasingly competitive scene. On the whole, Anchor’s approach to hardcore is a reasonably traditional one, with thick chordal guitar riffs and thundering drums serving as a backdrop to lead singer Claes’s guttural vocals. Although the group doesn’t tend to stray very far from this core sound, the angular precision displayed throughout is a testament to their collective skill and is impressive to behold. While comparing Recovery to Refused’s classic record Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent may seem like a somewhat lazy and stereotypical way in which to define Anchor due to their collective Swedish heritage, it is nonetheless a fairly accurate portrayal of the group’s sonic palette. Perhaps the most surprisingly enjoyable trait displayed by Anchor on this release is their ability to show restraint when it will increase the depth of a song; while the group is certainly capable of churning out straight ahead heavier-than-thou mosh anthems (such as awkward slow-burner “In Sickness And In Health”), it is their forays into more dynamically subdued instrumentation that really shows Anchor at their finest. This quality is best displayed on tracks like “Echoes” and “Recovering,” where the band skilfully blend their trademark hardcore attack with lighter guitar tones perfectly. On the whole, Recovery is a solid release from Anchor. Throughout its half hour playtime, the band manage to lay down eleven highly intense hardcore tracks which only occasionally meander off into the uncomfortable realm of near-metalcore. Given the group’s accomplished musicianship and earnest song writing, this is an album that is sure to find much acceptance amongst Australia’s burgeoning hardcore community. Review by: Matthew Woodward
BLUNT Issue #102
ANCHOR – Recovery
Talk about your false advertising. With their bio stating they call Sweden home and claim Entombed as an influence, one would expect a barrage of rumbling, low-end riffs to spew forth from the speakers. Instead, Anchor (not to be confussed with Melbourne’s own prodigal punk sons Anchors) have put together a disc that takes the lumbering, melodic passages of now-defunct Boston crew Verse and mixes it up with rapid fire guitar work that heavily references the genre’s ’80s thrash roots. Each of the albums eleven songs bear the marks of a group with an established creative chemistry, and although the material never veers too far from the tried and tested blueprint that they are working from, there is enough diversity within the individual tracks to earn the disc more than a few listens. Review by: Timothy Hawthorne
World’s Appreciated Kitsch [Greece]
ANCHOR – Recovery
I’ve been waiting for this impatiently. Anchor is one of my fav current hardcore bands and I strongly believe that they are one of the most-hardworking and sincere acts that the hardcore / punk scene has to offer. Hailing from Sweden, they feature members that have done time in bands like Dead Vows, Smackdown, Damage Control, Balance and Set My Path, and they have put out half a dozen of records, including a full length, EPs, split 7″s and a discography CD; all released by various labels from all over the world. Moreover, with an average of almost 100 shows per year, you can definitely consider them as a touring machine… So, ‘Recovery’ includes 11 songs of 90s hardcore, a style that Anchor undoubtedly know how to represent. Their music is intense and hard yet emotional. I’d like to add that the new record is more emotional than their previous releases and a bit more ‘easy listening’ (as ‘easy listening’ as 90s metallic hardcore can be, hehe!). ‘Recovery’ includes songs that will stick in your mind and make you grab the mic and sing-along like there’s no tomorrow; for example ‘Testament’ is an awesome, catchy song, while ‘No Love’, feat. Sean Murphy from Verse, stands the fuck out. ‘Hemingway’ includes guest vocals by John Hurtig, the singer of Balance, a great Swedish straight edge hardcore band. Anchor’s lyrics are straight to the point, covering social and political issues, with a strong vegan / straight edge attitude. After all, Anchor is an outspoken, political vegan / straight edge band, not fearing to unfold their anarchistic perspectives. To sum it up, if you are a ‘fan’ (but what does a fan mean? wrong word…) of Trial, Verse or Have Heart, you should get this record, plus all the Anchor discography. I’ve tried a lot of times in the past to bring them over here, in this fucked up place, but it’s a pity that I never succeeded. It’s a shame that I’ve never watched them live, as well. I promise to make amends… ‘Recovery’ was released in CD format by Pee Records in Australia, Vegan Records in South America and Let It Burn Records in Europe, while the vinyl edition is out by Refuse Records. This review is based on the Australian edition, which is a digipack with a great artwork including quality photos, lyrics etc. The cover breathes fresh air, too…!
More Than Core [Belgium]
ANCHOR – Recovery
Anchor has played almost 300 shows in about 4 years, some in America and some in Europe. They’re a Swedish 5-piece hardcore/straight edge band. They play oldschool hardcore combined with great vocals and a very natural sound. Their songs contain some great mosh parts and awesome lyrics. They released two other albums already, The Quiet Dance through Catalyst Records in May 2008 and Relations Of Violence, a 7inch vinyl EP through Refuse Records back in 2009. First of all, it’s a really good CD where there’s a good balance between heavy songs and the more down tempo stuff. The lyrics are easy to understand so that gives everyone an opportunity to sing along and I must say that the vocalist has a really great voice. They bring us a great example of natural hardcore without the shitty effects that a lot of bands use these days. They play hardcore like it’s supposed to be. Each and every song is great and has the capability to bring a smile upon one’s face. The lyrics are nice as well. My favorite song on the CD is probably No Love. They start off the song with an acoustic guitar and after a few seconds they bring in an electric guitar and there is a part with some clean vocals some minutes further in the song as well. The clean part gives a great example of the potential within this band. This CD is definitely more emotional but in the mean time sounds harder than the ones before. The band has grown a lot since they started out. This album is even better than last one. I hope to hear some more tunes from this band and I hope to see them perform here in Belgium some time soon. It would make one hell of a show!
Rating: 9/10 – Review by: Gregory Lagaisse
RELEASE DATE:
17 June 2011
Also Available From:
CREDITS:
CAT #: PCD044
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by: Gustav Brunn @ Studio Bengt
Artwork by: Kalle Garmark
