Soft Spot

the take

For my first review I wanted to highlight my 2025 Album of the Year! Honningbarna have been one of the leading punk bands in their country for about a decade, and this was their first record to properly cross over in the States. Soft Spot is an unflinching look at internet-age cynicism and the forces that drive young men to violence. Frontman Edvard Valberg tackles suppressed trauma, gender roles, capitalist exploitation, issues so many ignore until it’s already broken them down. Centerpiece “Rød bic” candidly begs the question: “Is there anything more fucking annoying than a falsely sincere man?” Their message is delivered through sheer force, vicious riffs and vocals overflowing with contempt and desperation. Despite their relentless energy, their influences run deep, as they masterfully dance from blackgaze to blistering techno to euphoric power pop. In a year plagued by prejudice and anxiety, Honningbarna rage in pursuit of a common good. They encourage us to seek the love and humanity that binds us all, by any means necessary. Valberg said it best himself: “If there's a better life out there, I have to have it.”