We were thrilled to talk about Northern Haze‘s 24-minute self-titled LP from 1985 in our Primitive Origins column a couple years ago, and for good reason: it was the first indigenous-language rock album to be released in North America, and it rocked. Today, we’re even more thrilled to bring you an exclusive listen to a new song from the Nunavut-based band, and to give you information on their first new album since their self-titled record all those years ago.
The band will be releasing Siqinnaarut on November 23 through Aakuluk Music. The record’s 10 songs are Northern Haze at their best: quirky hard rock, bashing proto-metal, and emotive vocals. Today we’re giving you the first glimpse of the album in the form of opening track “Inuk.” Come for the opening metal-guy vocal intro, stay for the proto-metal riffing, leave happy.
“I love the album,” says guitarist/vocalist James Ungalaq. “The song ‘Inuk’ is about colonialism, cultural genocide and becoming good with ourselves. It’s about colonialism turning us against our own culture and trying to fight that so we can still survive and continue. It’s a very angry song but it’s also very beautiful.”
Pre-order the album here, and check out “Inuk” right here:
