Twelve Days in June is back with their fourth studio album, Hiraeth, a loud and raw follow-up to last year’s La Luna. Set for release on October 18, 2024, the album features 13 tracks produced by Ben Hirschfield (who has worked with acts like Present, The Story So Far, and Against Me!), delivering an unfiltered dose of 90s alternative rock nostalgia. This guitar-forward album combines elements of grunge, shoegaze, and alternative rock, evoking the spirit of bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, The Foo Fighters, and Swervedriver. It’s a sonic throwback to an era that frontman Dave Hulegaard has been determined to keep alive since the mid-90s.
Hiraeth serves as more than just a nostalgic nod to the 90s. With themes of grief, isolation, nihilism, and mortality, the album feels like a cathartic exploration of the human condition—a 13-song therapy session set to gritty, distortion-heavy guitars. Hulegaard reflects on the emotional weight of these themes and describes the album as a way to process difficult feelings through music. “It’s a big and loud sonic juggernaut that explores themes of grief, isolation, nihilism, and mortality, like one long therapy session. Crank it up and buckle up!” Hulegaard explains.
For fans of the 90s alternative rock scene, Hiraeth is a deep dive into a musical landscape that many believed was lost to the early 2000s. “When I first started writing songs back in the mid-90s, it was sort of in protest to the changing landscape of post-Nirvana alternative rock,” Hulegaard shares. “Most of my favorite bands had either broken up or had drastically changed their sound and I was sad about it. With the millennium on the horizon, I wasn’t ready to leave the 90s behind and Twelve Days in June was my way of keeping them alive. I guess that’s still true today.”
That devotion to the 90s is evident throughout Hiraeth, which channels the sound of bands like The Lemonheads, The Foo Fighters, and The Smiths, with thick, melodic guitar riffs and emotionally charged lyrics that capture the raw energy of alternative rock’s heyday. Yet, while Hiraeth pays homage to that era, it doesn’t merely imitate; instead, it reimagines those influences through a modern lens, blending nostalgia with fresh, current production.
At the heart of Hiraeth is the Welsh concept from which the album takes its name. “Hiraeth” is often described as a deep, bittersweet longing for a home that no longer exists or may never have existed—a theme that runs through the album both lyrically and sonically. The music itself feels like a yearning for the past, not only for the musical landscape of the 90s but also for lost connections, places, and states of mind. The album expresses a sense of grief for the passing of time, mixed with a refusal to fully let go of the past.
This theme of longing is intensified by Hulegaard’s songwriting, which often dwells on heavy, existential topics. The tracks on Hiraeth take the listener on an emotional journey through different forms of loss, whether it’s the loss of loved ones, of youth, or of personal identity. However, even as the album delves into dark themes, it offers moments of catharsis through its powerful, anthemic choruses and relentless guitar-driven soundscapes.
Ben Hirschfield’s production plays a crucial role in capturing the raw energy of Hiraeth. Known for his work with punk and alternative bands, Hirschfield helped bring Hulegaard’s vision to life, ensuring the album stayed true to its gritty roots while pushing the boundaries of what modern alternative rock can sound like. The guitars are front and center, but the album doesn’t feel dated; instead, it feels like a revival of an era brought to life with the polish of contemporary production techniques.
For Hulegaard, Hiraeth is more than just an album; it fills a gap in his personal music collection, offering the kind of songs he wished he could have had in his youth. “The driving force behind Twelve Days in June has always been my desire to make the type of music I loved growing up,” Hulegaard says. In this sense, Hiraeth becomes both a tribute and a personal manifesto—a way for him to contribute to the legacy of 90s alternative rock while also processing his own emotional and existential challenges.
As Hiraeth gears up for its release, Twelve Days in June solidifies its place in the alternative rock scene, standing tall as a band that refuses to abandon its roots. This album is not just for the nostalgic; it’s for anyone seeking raw, emotionally charged rock music that isn’t afraid to confront life’s hardest truths. Whether you’re ready to revisit the 90s or just need a loud, cathartic release, Hiraeth delivers an unforgettable experience that’s as gritty as it is profound.
So, as Hulegaard suggests, crank it up, buckle up, and let Hiraeth take you on a ride through the tangled emotions of grief, longing, and self-discovery—set to the timeless roar of alternative rock.
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