You might want to bolt down the furniture and give the neighbours a heads-up, because Norwegian noise-rock duo Barren Womb are heading back to the UK this month. Armed with a sound that’s been described as “easy listening for the hard of hearing,” Timo Silvola and Tony Gonzalez are set to bring their brand of feral punk energy and sludgy riffs to venues across the country starting on 26th March.
The tour coincides with the release of a new split single with Tokyo-based stoner-psych trio HYLKO, which drops on 20th March via Fucking North Pole Records and Captured Records. Barren Womb’s contribution, “The Perils of Self-Improvement,” is a mid-tempo bruiser that originally comes from the sessions for their 2024 album Chemical Tardigrade. It’s got that classic quiet-loud dynamic – think The Jesus Lizard having a scrap with Melvins in a basement – before it eventually kicks off into a massive, melodic chorus.
On the flip side, HYLKO deliver “Green Spa (Cold Region Version)”, a track built around a heavy five-string bass riff and tribal percussion. It’s a hypnotic, fuzzed-out piece of psych-rock that was recorded at Studio Zen by Yukito Okazaki of Eternal Elysium fame. It’s a cracking pairing that brings together Norwegian grit and Japanese experimentation.
For over fifteen years, Barren Womb have been one of Norway’s most unpredictable live acts, sharing stages with the likes of Conan, Voivod, and Slomosa. If you’ve never seen them live, expect a controlled demolition. They’ll be hitting a fair few cities, including a stop at Glasgow’s Bloc+ and a warm-up set for the Manchester Punk Festival.
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Check out the full list of UK dates below:
- 26.03 – Nottingham – Billy Bootleggers
- 27.03 – London – Endeavour
- 28.03 – Bristol – The Old England
- 29.03 – Brighton – Pink Moon
- 30.03 – Exeter – The Cavern
- 31.03 – Canterbury – Lady Luck
- 01.04 – Glasgow – Bloc+
- 02.04 – Manchester – Manchester Punk Festival (warm-up)
- 03.04 – Dundee – Art Antics
- 04.04 – Bolton – The Alma Inn
- 05.04 – Gateshead – The Black Bull
