Horndal co-founder and drummer Pontus Levahn stops by Inside Music to save his hometown and discuss all things heavy metal.
The story of Horndal occurs countless times throughout history. Once a thriving town in Sweden, the local mill’s closure sent Horndal on a downward spiral that irrevocably changed the fabric of a once tight-knit community. The population is less than a third as large as it once was, and younger generations often leave for places with more opportunities. Horndal is not yet a ghost town, but unless something happens in the years to come, it could quickly fade into history.
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Co-founded by brothers who witnessed the town’s descent, the band Horndal keeps their hometown’s spirit alive through song. The metal group tells the story of Horndal through their music, offering a new version of David and Goliath; only now the giant monster is the relentlessly destructive force of capitalism. They don’t know if the alone can turn the tide of the town’s slow decline, but they won’t let their home disappear without a fight, and that sense of enduring pride reverberates through every note they play.
Lake Drinker, the band’s new full-length album (out April 9 via Prosthetic Records), imagines capitalism as a demon that feeds on natural resources and senselessly disposes of waste. Anyone who has witnessed corporations cut down forests and drain lakes will recognize the rage that echoes throughout the music. The members of Horndal call for people everywhere to battle the monsters that threaten to displace us from our towns in the name of profit. Lake Drinker is about recognizing that common enemy and joining together to defeat it before we’re too late.
In the latest episode of Inside Music, Horndal drummer and co-founder Pontus Levahn tells host James Shotwell about his work. The two share memories of their small-town childhoods and the forces that put both places on the path to decay. They also speak about how environments inform creativity and why the band is returning home for their first performance since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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