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Rock
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III : Views of distant towns (12T040 - 2006)

...but sometimes there is some sort of life in the lifeless body. Gavin Portland is a true example of exactly that! This is just the type of band that shows us how important it is to believe and trust our own judgment and capability to attain our goals. But at the same time Gavin Portland turns everything upside down by mixing hard rock with indie while screaming their lungs out.

Gavin Portland’s sound comes straight from the heart and ’Views of Distant Towns’ is barbed progressive punk rock – an altogether dedicated album from the young Icelandic hardcore scene. The band’s clear musical inspirations come from bands like Shellac, DC hardcore, Slint, and Drive Like Jehu. We are talking hardcore punk rock with remnants of indie melancholy.

Before releasing their debut album on 12 Tónar, they themselves released the EP’s ’The End of Every Minute’ (2005) and ‘...tell us how it ended, tell us how we died’ (2005). On 12 Tónar you also find the two first solo albums of guitarist and singer Thórir under the alias My Summer as a Salvation Soldier. Here he delivers heart-wrenching and personal singer/songwriting of the intimate kind, whereas Gavin Portland gets intimate in a whole other knock-about way.

British rock magazine Kerrang picked Gavin Portland out as one of the three best bands playing Iceland Airwaves 2006. ‘Views of Distant Towns’ is a progressive rock album and it’s hard to believe it’s Gavin Portland’s debut.

Tour Germany - Spring 2008 - 12 Tonar & Cargo Tour

18th Feb Konstanz Kulturladen: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina
19th Feb Leipzig Panam: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina
20th Feb Dresden Star Club: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina
21st Feb Bielefeld Forum: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina
22nd Feb Köln Werkstatt: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina
23rd Feb Münster Gleis 22: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina
24th Feb Berlin Knaack: w/Petur Ben + Jakobinarina

Press:

“…four young men from Iceland's fiercely independent underground scene pouring heart and soul into searing, ultra-sharp post-hardcore.”
KKKK (4/5) Kerrang

“It is music that catches you on the first listen but every listen adds something new. It is in short: fucking great!” 5/6 Reykjavik Grapevine.
No. 2 on Reykjavik Grapevine’s list of best records in 2006

"Their debut album "Views Of Distant Towns" brings nostalgia into mind of times when music was full of honesty, hardcore bands were fierce and stayed true to their origins." "It's the kind of album that we need in 2007, to demonstrate that sounding trendy isn't important as long as you are true to your origins. Alas, I present you the most exciting band from Iceland in a long, long time." Rockfreaks.net (8/10)

”Challenging and original style that shows great courage" Kultunaut.dk (4,5 / 6)