Astro-Lloyd are an alternative rock group based in Malmö, Sweden. They’ve just come to my attention thanks to their second, pop-culture-reference-filled, album. It’s called LOUD NOISES.

By Graeme Smith

Astro-Lloyd have an unconventional line-up. With five members who are drummers and a bass player at heart, their tracks are heavy on the rhythm section. Yet, it definitely works in LOUD NOISES, a collection of unashamedly geeky tracks inspired by pop culture and classic rock from KISS to Biffy Clyro.

The album opens with the lively and in your face Please and Thank You. The percussion and riffs hit you straight away and the expressive vocals are compelling. It’s a strong start.

Gnorts, Mr. Alien keeps the tempo and energy up, giving us a slice of garage rock that has a guitar solo that is out of this world. Simply Fabulous is a sweeping upbeat rock ballad while T-shirt gets raw and jangly. Antlers rounds off the album’s first half with a noisy, moody anthem.

Super Secret Boy Band is heavy and slow-building while FOMO shows a softer side to the Astro-Lloyd sound before descending into head-banging chaos. It’s a highlight. YOU ME THEM thrashes along at a pace before Sphere Believer explodes with big riffs and a touch of cosmic psychedelia. Hello, Beautiful closes the album with an emotional, slow-burning odyssey that unfolds over nearly six minutes.

Astro-Lloyd state their mission is to ‘bring alternative rock back to the mainstream’ and with LOUD NOISES they just might achieve it. With this album, they bring back the wholly missed ’00s rock sound affiliated with the likes of My Chemical Romance and Green Day in a completely fresh and accessible way.

Astro-Lloyd are Andres Jabrell, Nils Lindkvist, Mattias Hallin, Gustaf Danielsson and David Sivén. LOUD NOISES was recorded with and mixed by William Grube. You can give the album a listen below.