They began around 1997 originally as a five-piece that played noisy hardcore similar to artists such as Deadguy and Kiss It Goodbye. Their formative years were tumultuous and keeping a steady line-up proved difficult. After recording their self-titled single in 1997, the band were reduced to a four-piece following the departure of guitarist Chris Vancourt and vocalist Mike Jones, and it marked the addition of vocalist Aaron Connell (formerly of Grip and Christ and later went on to found Himsa and Iamthethorn). Shortly after releasing their single "Hung to Dry", vocalist Aaron Connell and short-lived guitarist Niehl Brady departed, leaving the band a three-piece, with Ben and Bill taking on the Vocal role. Some time after, guitarist Bill Quinby also left and was replaced by Casey Hardy. This lineup of Verellen, Howard and Hardy would prove to be the band's most enduring line-up.
After bouncing around labels and slowly but steadily changing their overall sound into a more noise rock outfit (points of reference include Scratch Acid and Nirvana, Harkonen landed on national label Hydrahead Records where they released the Grizz record as well as Shake Harder Boy and their collaboration with These Arms Are Snakes (with whom Ben would go on to play drums with for a while), Like a Virgin EP. This gave them bigger exposure and allowed them to embark on national tours with Isis and other Hydrahead Records bands.
Harkonen also began to lose steam around the recording of their final EP Dancing and the band called it a day sometime in 2005. They recorded several more records prior to their breaking up which were released right around and just after the band disbanded.
Ben Verellen - Bass & Vocals
Casey Hardy - Guitar & Vocals
Matt Howard - Drums
http://www.myspace.com/harkonen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harkonen_(band)
Keepsake
Harkonen Lyrics
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Bring the noose.
Hold this in you.
Say it.
Maybe it's a sign, it's time to come home.
The opening lines of Harkonen's song "Keepsake" capture a sense of desperation and nihilism, with the singer calling for the implements of self-harm and destruction. When they implore the listener to "hold this in you" it's unclear whether they're referring to the needle or the noose, but either way the message is one of ending things. The final line, "maybe it's a sign it's time to come home," suggests that there's a kind of twisted comfort in this self-destruction, that perhaps it marks a return to something deeper or more foundational.
Throughout the rest of the song, Harkonen and their protagonist explore themes of nostalgia, memory, and regret. The chorus repeats the phrase "I've got a keepsake," which is a kind of memento or souvenir from the past. The singer is holding onto something that reminds them of a happier time, but it's clear that they're haunted by loss and the passage of time. They don't want to forget or move on from the past, even though they know that doing so is inevitable. The final lines of the song repeat the opening ones, tying the themes of self-destruction and nostalgia together in a kind of loop. By returning to the beginning, the singer suggests that this cycle will repeat itself indefinitely.
Line by Line Meaning
Bring the needle.
Retrieve the tool used for injecting substances into the body.
Bring the noose.
Fetch the rope device used for hanging people to death.
Hold this in you.
Keep the memory of this experience internally within yourself.
Say it.
Speak the truth or the words that need to be said.
Maybe it's a sign, it's time to come home.
Possibly, this situation or circumstance indicates that it is necessary to return to one's place of origin.
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BEREND DUBBE, CAROLINE VAN DIJK, HERMAN BUNSKOEKE, PETER VISSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind