Swedish hardcore band First In Line marks three decades of raw, fast, no-frills energy with their new album, Connect the Dots. It’s a 19-track offering that channels the spirit of the Linköping HC scene and distills the group’s thirty years of hardcore grit into a concentrated punch.
Recorded at South Sound studio by Hobo rec, produced, mixed, and mastered by Ulf Blomberg, it’s out now on vinyl and all streaming platforms via Lövely Records.
First In Line started out as Prehistoric in 1988, with Timor Tanriverdi on drums, Jörgen Sjöström on guitar, Stefan Angeltorp on vocals, and Errol Tanriverdi on bass. After a few years, Stefan left, Henrik Hane took over vocals, and Nikola Rasic joined as solo guitarist. By 1993, Nils Javefors became the singer for Prehistoric, who released a split CD with Allena the same year and showed up on several compilation albums. In 1994, the band changed singers again (this time to Niklas Gunrin) and switched their name to First In Line.
Errol took over vocals in 1998, just in time for their first single, “I Know (Bridge of compassion).” In 1999, “Backside LKPG/F.I.L” followed on Bridge of compassion. A long break began in 2000, stretching until 2008, when Patric Lind came on board as bassist and the group got back to playing shows around Sweden. Over time, they released In the Land of Filth and Honey, …We are Watching, and Wake Up!
Connect the Dots doesn’t pull punches.
First In Line has always drawn inspiration from American hardcore, and they keep that edge. “F.I.L are so pissed off at all injustice and stupidity, we have to get it out of our heads and into the songs that we hope will hit right in the heart of you who listen, who can turn up the will to fight and maybe also be a tiny cog in a machinery that can change the world.”
The new material stays true to their roots, playing hard and fast without any extra frills.
“Büttfücker,” one of the tracks on Connect the Dots, comes with a music video that underscores First In Line’s raw approach.
The album is available on Bandcamp and can be streamed on all major services. It’s a direct statement of Swedish hardcore spirit from a band that’s been shaping its local scene for three decades.
