The Head & The Habit, from Greenleaf, a hard working heavy rock, fuzz groove band is an absolutely solid album that packs a multigenerational appeal. The Head & The Habit set to drop on June 21, 2024 via Magnetic Eye Records, incorporates punch-you-in-the-face rhythms, tasty proto-metal guitar, and chunky prog-rock bass that is somehow both fresh and wildly nostalgic. After listening to the album once through, I felt two distinct things;
1) I have known this album my whole life.
2) I have to listen through again, a bunch of times!
The Head & The Habit
The opening track, Breathe, Breathe Out, jumps straight into a fast, popping drum line that is matched in energy by hammering guitar work. This ushers in the heavy stuff in no time. As an introduction to what awaits us on this album, this song was a great choice.
Track 2, Avalanche, keeps that driving pace going. The honest to cuss vocals by Arvid Hällagård are timeless, clean, and so, so manly (yeah, I said it). His presentation on the verses in this track are tense, like a he’s going to burst into a run at any moment. Then there is the break down, yikes. It gets you in the belly and beckons you to get that slow head banging going with thick bass and drums that showcase the talent of these guys. And, just because it’s so yummy, they repeat the break down towards the end of the song, simply to keep their grip on the listener.
Different Horses is my favorite! First of all, it starts with the chorus, which is just badass. This one features delicious drumming by Sebastian Olsson that simply drives and drives and drives. About half way through this one, after a bit of bright and clean guitar, Hans Fröhlich offers a heavy bass solo which pulls everything down and redirects the song back towards a major build up for Hällagård to repeat the chorus until the drums become tribal and the song ends right where it started, back at the chorus. I have put this track on repeat for an hour at a time, no joke.
Wolf In My Mind gets nice and spooky with layered vocal effects and haunting lyrics, Somethings don’t feel wrong, but they don’t feel right. But what stands out to me in this one is the guitar work by Tommi Holappa, which is quitereminiscent of Paul Thornley. His timing makes this track pensive, with anxious walk ups. He knows when to be delicate and when to make it all crash around you.
I could go on and on, picking out what I love about each track, and maybe I will another time. But for now, I must put the spotlight over the vocals on two particular tracks: That Obsidian Grin, and An Alabastrine Smile. Holapp’s singing on these is noticeably different from the rest of the record. The sound feels a little bit folk and rather Cajun in style. The similar themes in the titles are intriguing, considering the lyrics are in direct opposition to one another.
It’s as if these two songs, which are separated by three tracks on the album, are balancing each other out in a painful yin-yang way. One is a warning, the other an offering of adoration. Darkness and beauty seep from both songs and leave a chill on the spine.
I was honestly surprised that this band is from Sweden. Now to be clear, I love and listen to a lot, and I mean a lot, of Swedish bands. Had I not noticed one vocal inflection in An Alabastrine Smile, I may have missed it all together. My assumption would have been that they are from Nashville or Austin with the blend of heavy grooves and gutsy 70’s prog bass. So soothing to the brain for this lady!
In true scientific form, I have played these songs for my friends and family of verying ages to gather responses across different generations of listeners. What I have surmised is that this album, while it has its heavy, even doomy moments, carries enough elements of progressive rock and blues sensibilities to be appealing to the older listeners (boomers) and incorporates plenty of drum fills and tempo changes to hold the interest of the younger generation (Gen Z). Wall-to-wall, this album rocks. I plan to get the vinyl and blast it through my JVC speakers at all hours of the night.
About Greenleaf
Even though they started out as a side-project for Stoner Legends Dozer, Greenleaf themselves are Stoner Rock Royalty, producing 9 albums since 1999. Greenleaf’s last album, Echoes from a Mass, was hailed as the Number 1 Album of 2021 on the Doom Charts, outperforming bands such as Green Lung, Domkraft, King Buffalo and the mighty Monolord.
Arvid Hällagård – vocals.
Tommi Holappa – guitars.
Sebastian Olsson – drums.
Hans Fröhlich – bass
Keep an eye out for my upcoming interview with the bands singer, Arvid Hällagård. Here’s hoping they tour on my coast!
Minus 100 to these guys for using AI art for the cover.
Arvid designed the art work using multiple graphic tools. He was intentional in creating something that reflects his experience with song writing. He is a very creative artist.