Permafrost - The Light Coming Through

by Dave Goodwin

published: 17 / 4 / 2025

Label: Fear of Music
Format: CD

Outstanding debut album which has been released 42 years after they formed from Norwegian band Permafrost

Review

So, here’s the thing. Permafrost maintain they base their sound on influences such as Joy Division and The Cure and the mighty Fad Gadget which, in the scheme of things, is a hard bunch of acts to follow and emulate. These Norwegians from Molde have, however, done what many bands have failed to do, and in my humble opinion have actually pulled it off quite nicely. But then Permafrost are no strangers to the music game, are they? These experts in the way of the post-punk persuasion were named after a late 1970’s song by Mancunian band Magazine, and were formed way back in 1982 by school friends Frode Heggdal Larsen and Kåre Steinsbu. They were joined by Robert Heggdal and Trond Tornes in 2001, and then Daryl Bamonte in 2016. They draw lots of comparisons from that Joy Division / New Order /Hooky type raw bass, The Cure’s sharp guitar, even down to that Fad sparse drum and you can also hear likenesses with Editors and Depeche Mode in their vast sound. The latter perhaps isn’t surprising as UK-based keyboard specialist Bamonte has worked very closely with Depeche Mode and The Cure in multiple roles in the past. They have been making wonderful 1980’s-based music since that period and debuted with the ‘Godtment EP in 1983. Now, 42 years after their beginning, Permafrost release their debut album, ‘The Light Coming Through’, which features all the previously released singles from their back catalogue, the main focal point on it being the excellent ‘Lights Out’. Many good albums start with an instrumental, and this one is no exception with ‘Intro’, which paves the way for the rest of this outstanding album. Self-described as being “Optimistic Melancholy”, Kare’s intense, baritone vocal excels all the way through subjects that tackle the struggle between giving up or pressing on in a hopeless situation, relationship breakdowns and the hope of new days ahead of us. All in all this is one of the best albums of its kind I’ve heard for a long, long time. It may have taken tghem 42 years to get this collection out to the masses which has been too long, but it is well worth the wait. Flipping marvellous!