EP review: Bottenhavet “Ett hav av tårar”
Bottenhavet debuts with hard rock sung in Swedish on its new EP.
Bottenhavet (Swedish for Bothnian Sea) is a trio of rockers – Kim Minkkinen (vocals), Charlie Karlsson (guitar) and Marcus Wigren (drums) – based in Stockholm, Sweden. The band’s sound that has a kind of 1970s hard rock foundation but with plenty of other influences shining through, including prog rock and Soundgarden-style grunge. There is also a fair bit of haze rock touches here and some echoes of fellow Swedish rockers The Soundtrack of Our Lives and, yes, even Mando Diao. The resulting melting pot is very enjoyable. “Ett hav av tårar”, the band’s first release, is an exquisite four-track EP. Bottenhavet’s lyrics on the four songs – “Fula skor”, “Dra mig i håret”, “En tår” and “Två tårar” – are all sung in their native Swedish. Kim Minkkinen’s voice is perfect for this music. It is powerful and engaging. The combination of his voice and the music makes me want to dance. This is a rock-solid debut EP with very strong tracks showcasing the band’s abilities. I hope that we soon get to hear a full-length studio album from this band. I am guessing they are a terrific live band with such strong songs. Bottenhavet is now one of my new favourite Swedish bands. It will soon be yours too.
Bottenhavet’s EP “Ett hav av tårar” is out now.
