Áfram Ísland!

We really should hurry up reviewing this entry before the artists are banned from entering Tel Aviv:

Eurovision 2019 will be a bit like Euro 2016 (the European Championship in football): A bunch of sensitive guys with perfect hair goof around trying to score points by complaining about the unbearable pain of living. Then the Icelanders show their slightly rougher faces, make some much needed noise and win everybody’s hearts.

Not that we would mind. In fact, we were truly astonished when Iceland picked their entry for 2019. Here we were, in our little country of darkness, grey weather and black metal, thinking no one in Eurovision would ever truly understand us, hence trying to adapt to a Europe haunted by EDM, botox chicks and photoshop by Sweden. And then this shows up? Best news sine Italy returned to Eurovision! (Yes, we know Hungary last year. But no).

Hatari is a band known to spark controversies. And they’re certainly not keeping shut now. Ever since the national final, the guys have been surrounded with both criticism, love and a worried Jon Ola for their satiric, but nonetheless strong message on Israel and Palestine. But, as they say themselves, silence is also a statement when performing in Israel. We might all be breaking the EBU rules this year, as there always seem to be a certain political aspect involved in visiting or, more often, not visiting that country. And what better, then, than to get your thoughts up and done with before you leave?

Moving on to music. This is pop music that sounds like Abba. Says no one but Hatari themselves. We others might call it technoschlagermetal, as “Hatrid mun sigra” is both catchy and fun, but also quite noisy and harder than Sergey Lazarev ever dreamed of swallowing. That is bound to resonate well with a broad selection of voters – from the kids protesting for the environment to the grannies protesting for peace. From the dancing gays to the boycotting sour grapes. And to all of us in-between there somewhere.

Let us also mention those lyrics, of which there has been made excellent Norwegian and English translations. The song is about the rise of hatred over love and joy, the lies of the Internet and our false illusions, the collapse of Europe and the emptiness in life. Hatari says the song is meant as a warning from the future. But after the latest happenings in Christchurch and Utrecht and a bit too many happenings before that, the hate seems present enough already. We need to address that, and these Icelanders do it in an excellent way. Blessed be.

In the Icelandic country side, things can get rough. Dress accordingly.

In Norway we have now come to the point in time where our mainstream media has realized Norwegian black metal is a big thing and started making documentaries. That’s only 20 years too late, but hey, better late than never, as Bonnie Tyler once said. This might be the right point in time for technoschlagermetal to win Eurovision as well. Add a performance that would make Christian Grey hide shit scared in his red room of pain, and we are in for a treat in Tel Aviv’s expo center.

From our personal experience, we know those metal heads have bigger hearts than mouths. These specific ones also seem to know their limits and are supported by a diplomat father. So just you relax those forehead muscles, Jon Ola. Hatari will pass the security check just fine, even though nothing would probably please them more than to be caught and bound.

We’ll bring our Icelandic flags instead of our Palestine scarves to Tel Aviv. After all this is the European Championship in music and we are more ready than ever for our slow hand claps while our own country tries to make Europe culturally appropriate joik, the floating Dutchman is stuck in a fish tank and this year’s host country is considering where to direct their missiles in time for the upcoming elections. Make no mistake: Schlagermetal has stronger power than gun powder.

Áfram Hatari! Áfram Ísland!

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