Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion is a project by Swedish singer and guitarist Hasse Fröberg famous also for his work with The Flower Kings. Born in 2008 since then this project has released 5 full-length and 1 DVD, the new disc “We Are The Truth” was released on November 26, 2021 via Glassville Records. Containing 9 tracks between over 3 and almost 13 minutes in duration which confirm how HFMC is one of the best realities in modern Prog. The album opens with “To Those Who Rule The World” also proposed as a single with official video, which kicks off with excellent mixes between guitar and keyboard after a 1 minute intro. The rhythm session is solid and Hasse‘s vocal warm and expressive, as always very intense and an added value to the sound of the band. Full of tempo changes, this track mixes different styles and genres, switching from one to the other with an ease that is rarely heard. Shades of Blues, massive guitar riffs, Progressive passages with fine keyboards, energetic and engaging immediately plunges us into the atmosphere of the album. In the final instrumental part, a very intense and emotional guitar solo technician before the final verse closes the piece. The longest track on the album “Other Eyes” with over 12 minutes in length begins with a repeated melody and powerful and very upbeat drumming. The track with a change evolves on solid and elaborate interweaving of guitar and keyboard but always accessible to the listener. The vowel is full of pathos and alternates softer passages with others where it releases all its energy, with stanzas and refrains that remain in the mind for a long time. The tempo changes develop the piece with very intense passages where the individual technique of the artists involved is highlighted. The second part offers a more acoustic and delicate section that increases in intensity in the final instrumental with a fine synth and guitar solo. “Rise Up” is another very solid song full of positive energy, with guitar and keyboard offering massive melodies and the granite rhythm session beats the time. With the intensity that increases with the passage of the song, alternating high-level vocal and instrumental parts is another engaging passage that remains in the mind after listening. With a delicate arpeggio and melancholic atmospheres opens “The Constant Search For Bravery,” with refined and more intricate sounds than the previous one. More symphonic sections alternate with harder passages and other sophisticated ones offering us 9 very intense and passionate minutes both in music and in singing. “Yoko” is characterized by a start with a strong impact, hard riffs that blend with the organ, but also by tempo changes that bring the piece to more delicate atmospheres with a very warm singing. The second part returns to harsher sounds in the instrumental section, offering guitar and keyboard solos that are briefly intertwined. The vocal that closes this other excellent song intensely returns. Here we are at the title track “We Are The Truth” which begins with a dreamy piano, deep bass and electric guitar creating a delicate atmosphere. With the input of the drum the intensity of the song increases and begins to develop with excellent inserts of electric guitar and piano. With an alternation of vocal and instrumental parts rich in technique, it keeps the level of this record high, continuing to excite the listener. “Shaken and Stirred” after an electric guitar and effects intro kicks off between successful melodic plots and an energetic vocal. The rhythmic session is solid with a deep and load-bearing bass, while the intertwining of organ and guitar gives body to the song, engaging and with a refrain that immediately catches on. “Every Second Counts” is the shortest of the album, with a delicate piano and a structure more in the form of a ‘song’ without losing the intensity and quality that distinguish their sound. The album closes with the excellent “A Spiritual Change” which in its almost 11 minutes offers a summary of the band’s sound. Massive riffs, continuous tempo changes, intricate textures and more symphonic passages with the energy and technique that distinguish these artists. There are all the ingredients one would expect from a Progressive track from an HFMC album, enriched with solos and a vocal that always adds something more to the sound. I just finished listening to this album that I already want to hit play. An album that is full of energy, elaborate ideas and technical passages that mix with catchy riffs and a solid rhythm session. Hasse’s vocal is an added value and he confirms that he is one of the best singers of the modern Rock scene, as well as the musicians involved offering a truly convincing proof. A recommended listening to old and new Rock fans, managing to transport the atmosphere of the 70s in a fresh and modern context with traces that remain in the mind for a long time.
Tracklist
1. To Those Who Rule The World (07:32)
2. Other Eyes (12:55)
3. Rise Up (04:49)
4. The Constant Search For Bravery (09:05)
5. Yoko (06:38)
6. We Are The Truth (06:46)
7. Shaken and Stirred (07:15)
8. Every Second Counts (03:57)
9. A Spiritual Change (10:53)
Lineup
Hasse Fröberg / Lead Vocals, Guitars
Anton Lindsjö / Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
Kjell Haraldsson / Grand Piano, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Thomas Thomsson / Bass, Backing Vocals
Ola Strandberg / Drums, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals