Formed on the north coast of Norway back in 1982, you could say a cold wave washed over the newly forged post-punk outfit known as Permafrost.

Fast-forward several decades ahead after the original duo had expanded to a five-piece, we are pleased to be able to introduce the band’s new single ‘Restore Us’.

Despite its catchy beat and smooth delivery, there’s more to this single than just sounding fantastic – there’s a deeper message, applicable to the wider masses, not just the select few (well both categories of folk, really).

The lyrically relevant and restless “Restore Us” runs on winding siren-whine guitar, supple bass line, pressing synths, and a strictly hit drum beat with direct, sing-talking vocals that tackle the state of the US and the world.

Brought to us via Fear of Music with distribution by Secretly Noord, the original version of this track also comes with two additional remixes by heavyhitters – the Pyxis remix by Paul Corkett (The Cure, Placebo, Sleeper, Strangelove) and the other by UK producer James Chapman, otherwise known as MAPS, whose work on the ‘Burn’ album by Dead Can Dance’s Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell we also recently featured HERE

Originally taking their name from a Magazine track, Permafrost is Frode Heggdal Larsen, Kåre Steinsbu, Robert Heggdal, Trond Tornes, and Daryl Bamonte, the only UK-based member, who joined the group later on as keyboardist after decades of working with, touring with and managing iconic artists such as Depeche Mode and The Cure.

In the past two years, Permafrost has seen some chart success with singles ‘Closed Eyes’ and ‘Femme Fatale’, both of which reached #1 on the Indie Disko Top40 and top 5 in the Deutsche Alternative Chart and the Native25 chart, in addition to spending several weeks at the top of many indie charts.

A sign of the times, you could say, this new single seemingly kills two birds with one stone, pointing out some of the key factors (alienation, isolation, greed) that are problematic in our society today – likely rooted in our flawed ‘systemic’ foundations. At the same time, they express hope – somewhat like a plea. Get it together America, we care for you. And so should everybody – after all, these are not only American problems, but are rife within the fabric of both modern societies, whether they be in the West or East.

The accompanying video’s footage was shot in 1987 by Daryl Bamonte while traveling with Depeche Mode for their Music For The Masses tour. Reflecting the energy and enthusiasm of a group on the ascent, in a country concurrently starting its slow decline into the new consumerism era, the film recalls the era where the road trip and the lengthy tour were romanticized, figuratively getting their kicks on Route 666, during the unravelling of an American Dream that was never really tangible anyways.

‘Restore Us’ is out now across digital platforms, including Bandcamp, where their other music can also be found.

CREDITS
Written by Permafrost
Produced and engineered by Permafrost
Mixed and Mastered by Paul Corkett
Press release by Alex Maiolo
Video by Mimi Supernova
Film footage by Daryl Bamonte

It would be sad to cut your discovery short at the one single, so do also soak up the audio-visual presentation of the previous two singles here as well:

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