When the new Greenleaf album arrived in my in tray for review, I was genuinely amazed to discover that in their assorted ever evolving line-ups the band has now been putting out music for a whole quarter of a century. Whilst a milestone anniversary such as this would normally be met with a fanfare, special edition re-issues and merch, the band has instead simply marked the occasion with the release of ‘The Head & The Habit’. Low key? Maybe. Low quality? Hell no!

Opening track and lead single ‘Breathe Breathe Out’ sets the standard for the rest of the album, laden down with a thumping rhythm section, fuzzed out riffs galore, and clean impassioned vocals, all highlighting an enthusiasm and energy that is perfectly matched by the video that came out a couple of months ago. I normally shy away from directing folks towards a streaming service as opposed to urging them towards making a purchase but I’d honestly recommend you find it on Magnetic Eye’s YouTube channel and give it a play for a good laugh, Greenleaf showing that they are imbued with a self-deprecating humour. Whilst the theme of the album is about such serious matters as personal struggles and even mental health problems, the band approach the matter without getting overly po faced, acknowledging that different people have different ways of coping with their woes. Indeed, that could be the very point made by the superlative chugging slab of Desert Rock ‘Different Horses’; I don’t know if Sweden has an equivalent phrase to the English ‘horses for courses’, but I’m guessing they might well do as typified by this number.

‘A Wolf In My Mind’ continues the theme, but with a heavier delivery, and darkly psychedelic edge to the music that supports and wraps around lyrics of inner struggles. However, it is not a downer track to have you staring at your shoes, having imbedded between the verses a chorus that demands that heads are banged and fists are pumped into the air. This powerhouse is followed by the introspective ‘That Obsidian Grin’, a bluesy number that could have escaped from the sixties back catalogue of Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac; at under two minutes it is over far too soon, and I just wanted it to grow into a longer number, the raw emotion that Arvid Hallagard put into his vocals deserving a longer platform. This gentle interlude is followed by ‘The Sirens Sound’, existential questions being asked to a background stomping hard rock, ‘Oh Dandelion’ strutting up next with a Led Zeppelinesque swagger to Tommi Holappa’s guitar work, drummer Sebastian Olsson being unleashed to give free rein to his best Bonzo blasts. If that track wasn’t massive enough, Greenleaf then offer the listener the epic ‘The Tricking Tree’, and if there’s any doubt that the band have steeped themselves in the music of Messrs Bonham, Jones, Page and Plant, this will dispel them. ‘The Tricking Tree’ is a number that is crying out to be played live and must surely become a staple of any future set list for the band.

Whilst normally lumped simply into the Stoner genre, and with a name like Greenleaf that is perhaps inevitable, the band write and play about so much more than just getting buzzed and contemplating inner and outer space. ‘The Head & The Habit’ approaches mature and complex issues, perhaps reflecting the long existence of the band and their life experience. However, if you don’t want to delve too deep and just want to be entertained, trust me, the musicianship will do that for you, and by the spadeful. The second half of 2024 will have to produce some incredible albums to stop this one riding high in my top 10 of the year.

(9/10 Spenny)

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https://greenleaf-sweden.bandcamp.com/album/the-head-the-habit