Swedish industrial post-punk act The Below, under the creative helm of Bo Magnusson, unveils a new chapter in their sonic narrative with Immutable Behaviour. The record name and tracks comprise of two 2024 EPs, Immutable Decay with Aaron Sutcliffe on vocals, and Behaviour in Public Places fronted by Jesper Hanning, both of which garnering praise and refining The Below’s distinctive sound. Out February 28, 2025, the album features 10 tracks, with 8 accompanied by their now signature style of dark and confronting music videos. The latest addition to this visually charged series is the video for ‘Hitobito (Only the Shadows)’, set to premiere alongside the album’s release.
Video by Daniele Arcuri
At its core, Immutable Behaviour muses on humanity’s relentless journey into the abyss of repeated errors. The title itself, a nod to our species’ “Immutable Decay,” reflects on the perpetual decline marked by an inability to learn from history. Referencing the ongoing and increasingly messy narrative surrounding the Ukraine war, ‘Artificial Lights (Dystopian Haze)’ fuses an eerie mix of sharp percussive sounds with a sparse musical backdrop and pained vocal delivery. The track explores the reality of living in bomb shelters during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Hearing, feeling and ultimately experiencing the reality of a rubbled urbanscape.
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‘90 Seconds to Midnight’, on the other hand, explores rampant corruption on the part of elite circles. Harmful chemicals and points of environmental and social degradation are listed under the intense taunts of mechanical percussion and unrelenting energy. “Short term profits / Economic inequality” asserts Aaron Sutcliffe as the track surges and descends, like the shrewd profits of a ruthless multinational conglomerate.
The broader soundscapes of Immutable Behaviour remain as harsh as the themes it tackles. Each track is constructed from scrap-metal percussions, industrial sounds, and follows a methodical post-punk structure. The music vibrates with an ominous, dark, and taunting energy, immersing listeners in a world where dissonance meets introspection. Like a mechanical autopsy of society’s decay, the album dissects our modern world’s failures through its mercilessly grim lens of industrialism.
Check Immutable Behaviour out on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms
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Track list and music videos:
1. The Below featuring Jesper Hanning – Tabla Motors (05:16) WATCH VIDEO
2. The Below featuring Jesper Hanning – Knives and Heights (02:48) WATCH VIDEO
3. The Below featuring Jesper Hanning – Hitobito (Only the Shadows) (05:48) WATCH VIDEO
4. The Below featuring Jesper Hanning – Heebie-Jeebies Süssigkeit (02:52) WATCH VIDEO
5. The Below featuring Jesper Hanning – Grind Me Down (03:07) WATCH VIDEO
6. The Below featuring Aaron Sutcliffe – 90 Seconds to Midnight (03:36) WATCH VIDEO
7. The Below featuring Aaron Sutcliffe – Artificial Lights (Dystopian Haze) (04:22) WATCH VIDEO
8. The Below featuring Aaron Sutcliffe – No Place is Safe (03:01) WATCH VIDEO
9. The Below featuring Aaron Sutcliffe – 17 Days (06:27)
10. The Below featuring Aaron Sutcliffe – Immutable Decay (Outro) (01:36)
Bo Magnusson’s musical journey began in Sweden’s underground scene with the industrial collective Dr. Evil and The Boys From Below, notorious for their provocative performances featuring pig skulls, man-sized test tubes, and levitating washing machines. After cultivating a devoted following through their boundary-pushing shows that merged industrial music with theatrical performance art, the group disbanded in 1992, leading to Magnusson’s extended hiatus from music. In 2015, he re-emerged with The Below, a project that honored his experimental roots while charting new sonic territory through the use of repurposed materials and abandoned instruments. The project has since flourished through collaborations with vocalists Aaron Sutcliffe and Jesper Hanning, resulting in two critically acclaimed 2024 EPs: the politically charged “Immutable Decay” and the introspective “Behaviour in Public Places.” These releases showcase Magnusson’s continued dedication to crafting challenging, provocative music that addresses contemporary global issues through a distinctive blend of industrial and post-punk elements.
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