Suffering Jukebox

This morning's episode features an interview with Brendan Sloan from Convulsing, Dumbsaint and Altars. Convulsing -alongside Amby Downs- will be supporting Sumac this Tuesday, 3rd February, at Crowbar Brisbane. Find out more about Convulsing (and purchase their music) here; https://convulsing.bandcamp.com/music

Nick's Pick of the Week is Backengrillen's Backengrillen, which was released on Friday January 23rd. You can hear it in all the usual places, or purchase it here; https://backengrillen.bandcamp.com/album/backengrillen-2 and my review can be read below.

Backengrillen: Backengrillen (Svart Records)

Released 23rd January 2026

Backengrillen describe themselves as “Anti-fascist, anti-racist, free form Death Jazz,” also noting that their debut album was, “…written on a Thursday during their first ever rehearsal, performed live on a Friday and recorded on a Saturday.” Intense and energetic, there is an intuitiveness to the music that can’t be faked. You can hear the band figuring it out as they go along, trusting their instincts and desperately trying not to overthink —or overcomplicate— things.

Comprising three former members of (iconic Swedish hardcore band) Refused: Dennis Lyxzén on vocals, Magnus Flagge on bass and David Sandström on drums, Backengrillen’s lineup is completed by free-jazz saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, who also contributes flute and live electronics. Inspired by everything from Albert Ayler to John Zorn, with detours via Can and The Stooges, Backengrillen is in your face and unapologetic, as Sandström so delicately puts it, “We really hope this slab of stupid, violent death rock will ruin someone’s day.”

Featuring five tracks and running just under fifty minutes, Backengrillen has a tendency to —at times—meander. Almost all the songs exceed ten minutes, and could be improved with some minor edits. This is a trivial complaint, however, for when they are on point, they are nothing short of compelling. It will be interesting to see how they develop over time, for they have already advised that they are working on a follow-up! 

Album opener, A Hate Inferior, starts slow, building tension for almost three minutes before Lyxzen’s trademark scream (drenched in distortion) pierces the veil and grabs the listener by the throat. It plods on for another several minutes, with a super skronky breakdown near the end, before finally disintegrating into short, rhythmic bursts of synth. At just over six minutes, Repeater II is the record’s shortest and most traditional song; it is also its most concise and focused. A love letter to the first Stooges album, Repeater II is a hectic, but palatable slab of proto-punk that manages to provide Backengrillen with its perfect middle point.

Drawing the album to a close are two epic, long songs, Backengrillen and Socialism Or Barbarism. The former is a true highlight, alternately feral and refined, with a duality that is enthralling and visceral —even after ten minutes one cannot help but wish for more. Socialism Or Barbarism, on the other hand, tends to drag and lose focus. It commences with squalls of white noise, before shifting into a demented groove that, whilst engaging, could have been shortened without sacrificing any impact.

There is a lot of promise in Backengrillen. Their ferocity and penchant for experimentation will easily endear them to noise-heads and those with a taste for the unusual. Whether it will curry favour with Refused’s fanbase is up for debate; certainly some will get it, but it is likely to confuse their more conventional fans. Where Backengrillen go next will be exciting to see —and hear. If they manage to channel the ferociousness of their debut whilst adding a touch of refinement, they will undoubtedly iron out the kinks that are present in their promising, though slightly flawed, first record.

Nick Stephan