Split release by Barren Womb and HYLKA is out via Fucking North Pole Records / Captured Records!

Split release by Barren Womb and HYLKA is out via Fucking North Pole Records / Captured Records!

On the one hand, Norwegian noise-rock duo Barren Womb presents "The Perils of Self-Improvement," a mid-tempo groove that turns from a wiry guitar loop into a massive, cathartic chorus—harsh, physical, and unapologetically loud. Recorded during the recording sessions for their acclaimed album Chemical Tardigrade, the song has been kept under wraps until now as a special release.

Tokyo trio HYLKO, on the other hand, offer "Green Spa (Cold Region Version)", a hypnotic, groove-laden stoner-psych piece driven by distorted five-string bass, tribal percussion and immersive textures. It's a dense, fuzzy journey that proves just how massive a guitar-less lineup can sound.

Together, this split brings Norwegian noise-rock abrasion and Japanese stoner-psych experimentation into the same space, raw, infectious and built on sheer volume and attitude.

Photo credit: Raymond Eide

On March 20, 2026, Nordic noise-rock duo Barren Womb return with new music as part of a split single with Japanese stoner rock trio HYLKO.

Barren Womb’s contribution, “The Perils of Self-Improvement,” is a mid-tempo stomper delivering grim news for the supposed wisdom of self-help culture. Built around a jangly guitar loop, the track gradually gathers force through pounding drums and impassioned screams before exploding into a massive melodic chorus, complete with the band’s trademark tag-team vocal delivery.

The song was recorded during the sessions for Chemical Tardigrade, Barren Womb’s acclaimed 2024 album, and intentionally held back for this split, a small but potent offering for both longtime fans and new listeners.

For over fifteen years, Barren Womb, Timo Silvola (drums/vocals) and Tony Gonzalez (guitar/vocals), have been a feral force within the international heavy underground. Often described as “easy listening for the hard of hearing,” the duo blend primitive punk energy, grinding repetition, and explosive quiet-loud dynamics into a chaotic yet strangely addictive racket.

Across five albums, numerous singles and EPs, and hundreds of shows across Europe and North America, the band have built a reputation as one of Norway’s most relentless live acts, sharing stages with Conan, Entombed A.D., Nomeansno, Slomosa, and Voivod, and appearing at festivals including SXSW, Øya, Deserfest Oslo, Tallinn Music Week, and Høstsabbat.

On the other side of the split, Tokyo-based trio HYLKO deliver “Green Spa (Cold Region Version)”, a groove-heavy stoner psych track built around a deep five-string bass riff and inspired by a journey to a hot spring in search of truth.

Featuring Nori Shio (bass), TofuckG (drums), and Moock (vocals/djembe), HYLKOcreate a surprisingly massive sound using only bass, drums, and tribal percussion. Produced and recorded by Yukito Okazaki (Eternal Elysium) at Studio Zen, the track blends fuzzed-out stoner rock, jazz-tinged rhythms, and hypnotic psychedelic textures, proof that sometimes less really is more.

Photo credit: Yuma Kikui

The result is a split release that pairs Norwegian noise-rock abrasion with Japanese stoner-psych experimentation, bringing together two bands that thrive on doing things their own way.

Meanwhile, Barren Womb have announced a new run of shows across Norway, the UK, and Japan. Check out the full itinerary below.

Links:
Barren Womb
Website: http://barrenwomb.org
Facebook: https://facebook.com/barrenwomb
Instagram: https://instagram.com/barrenwomb
Youtube: https://youtube.com/barrenwombtube

Hylko
Bandcamp: https://hylko.bandcamp.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HYLKOstoner 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hylko.stonerrock 

Fucking North Pole Records
Fucking North Pole Records: https://facebook.com/FNPRecords

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Photo by © Barren Womb/HYLKO promo