Portsmouth indie rock/alt/post punk band Hallan have returned with their new single “Unwomanly Face of War” and its accompanying video.
The song is the first taste of the band’s forthcoming EP ‘The Noise of a Firing Gun‘, due to be released on 31 March via Nice Swan Records. Pre-order your copy here.
A bizarre but brilliant concoction of punk, electronica and alt rock, the track boasts a club-ready synth bass, battling an infectious guitar hook and tasteful drums. It is an extension of postmodernism, reshaping the synths of Devo and mashing it with the riff heavy nature of artists like Muse and The Strokes.
Though influences may be clear, Hallan thrive on a truly unique approach, their concoction of noises easily cutting through the saturate. Like seen in dance music, there isn’t much variation throughout the track, besides frontman Conor Clements’ increasingly frantic delivery, but ‘Unwomanly Face Of War’ climaxes with a crushing crescendo, an outro bathed in fuzz and beserk performances; layers upon layers of glitchy synths, darting between the intricately woven guitar parts.
Of the track, Hallan state:
After an exploration into “The Unwomanly Face of War”, a book penned by Nobel Prize winning author Svetlana Alexievich, we discovered the real life stories of hundreds of female soldiers who endured horrors and loss during the Second World War. Having fought for the Soviet Union these women of Russia recount their memories and nightmares in honest detail, sharing their experiences on the front lines and back home.
Inspired by these true stories our single shines a light on the often overlooked and unheard reality of these women. Returning home unrecognisable to family. The choice to pull the trigger with a man’s life within your sights. Saying goodbye to your mother as you step onto the carriage. The initial single that sparked the fuse for the rest of our EP, Unwomanly Face of War familiarises listeners with a new style of songwriting within our music, one based upon the importance of the past rather than the mundane rituals of our present.
A song written to remember the realities of a time not long ago and the sacrifices and efforts given by Women of the past, Unwomanly Face of War reminds us all to ensure above all else that no daughter or son need know the noise of a firing gun.
Watch/listen below.
Hallan Upcoming Live Dates
04/01 Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
04/02 Bobiks, Newcastle
04/04 Broadcast, Glasgow
04/05 Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
04/06 Future Yard, Birkenhead
04/07 Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds
04/08 Heartbreakers, Southampton
04/11 The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge
04/12 Clwb lfor Bach, Cardiff
04/13 The Cavern, Exeter
04/14 The Victoria, London
04/15 Esquires, Bedford
