Swedish rockers Knogjärn have been around for a while now, and have carved quite a name for themselves in their homeland with their native-tongued mix of metalcore and more accessible rock styles.

Of course singing in Swedish is going to limit their appeal to Anglophone audiences, but, what with music being a universal language, I’m convinced there’s enough going on on Bly to reel in a few new fans. Tracks like Rädd för dig, which mixes a practised ease with melody and a nice ear for a riff, won’t fail to connect with audiences anywhere, whilst heavier numbers like Bly eller pengar and Min stad will appeal to those you enjoy their metal on a more visceral level. There’s even a sub-one minute blast of deathened hardcore in the shape of Smörbultad just to keep all the bases covered, and it must be noted that the band do all of this with a minimum of fuss and flash whilst still achieving maximum impact.

Penultimate track Tror du vill brinna swings on a neat Pantera sort of tip, and they are probably a key touchpoint along with a host of nu-metal names if you’re looking for musical signposts to help you envisage the sound. Markus Hurtig keeps his axework simple but crunchy, even allowing himself a bit on jangle on the uber-accessible closer Kärleken väntar, whilst vocalist Kim Eriksson also offers little in the way of frill whilst handling the frequent stylistic changes with a convincing ease  that suggests he has plenty up his sleeve, talent-wise.

The band has cultivated a reputation for the raw energy inherent in their live performance, and the rather polite production offered here doesn’t perhaps back that reputation up, but you really can’t argue with the quality of material they’ve come up with on Bly. This is well worth a listen!