Hulkoff
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|Swedish musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Hulkoff
| birth_date = {{bda|25 August 1980|df=y}}
| birth_name = Kurt Pär Einar Hulkoff
| birth_place = Karungi, Sweden
| years_active = 2009–present
| occupation = Musician
| instruments = Vocals, guitar
| genre = Power metal, folk metal, heavy metal, industrial metal
| current_member_of = Raubtier, Atomkraft, Hulkoff
}}
Pär Hulkoff (born 25 August 1980), known by his stage name Hulkoff, is a Swedish musician. His first releases were as the lead singer and guitarist for the industrial metal band Raubtier in 2009, and then country rock group Bourbon Boys.{{Cite web|title=Review Bourbon Boys – Hail To The Chief 2013|url=http://www.hallowed.se/english/music/reviews/2013/bourbon_boys-hail_to_the_chief.html|access-date=8 June 2020|website=hallowed.se}}{{Cite web |title=interview_hulkoff |url=http://www.metalcovenant.com/pages/interviews/interview_hulkoff.htm |access-date=8 June 2020 |website=metalcovenant.com}}
Since 2017, he has been active as a solo artist, making Nordic folk influenced power metal under the name Hulkoff.{{Cite web |last=kanismaximus |date=9 November 2019 |title=Heavy Metal: Hulkoff Announce Sophomore Album |url=https://powerthorn.com/2019/11/09/hulkoff-announce-sophomore-album/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608134454/https://powerthorn.com/2019/11/09/hulkoff-announce-sophomore-album/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=8 June 2020 |access-date=8 June 2020 |website=PowerThorn}} Hulkoff's solo sound has been compared to that of fellow power metal band Sabaton. In fact he featured their lead singer, Joakim Brodén, on his 2017 album Kven.
Works and style
Hulkoff's original band was Raubtier. They released their first album, Det finns bara krig, in 2009.{{Cite web|date=9 February 2010|title=Raubtier – Skivrecensioner – Sydsvenskan – Nyheter dygnet runt|url=http://sydsvenskan.se/kultur-och-nojen/musik/skivrecensioner/article421562/Raubtier.html|access-date=8 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209023126/http://sydsvenskan.se/kultur-och-nojen/musik/skivrecensioner/article421562/Raubtier.html|archive-date=9 February 2010}} He released his first country-rock album with Bourbon Boys, Shotguns, Trucks & Cattle, in 2013.{{Cite web|last=Boris|first=Martin Wasala, Michael Neber, Julia Faehndrich, Heinz Christmann, Michael Ahlsdorf, Jens Müller, Heide Heim, Dirk|title=RNR fragt, Bourbon Boys antworten|url=https://www.rockandroad.de/musik/country/rnr+fragt+bourbon+boys+antworten_1310.html|access-date=8 June 2020|website=rockandroad.de|language=de|archive-date=18 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218164402/http://www.rockandroad.de/musik/country/rnr+fragt+bourbon+boys+antworten_1310.html|url-status=dead}} The album was praised for its 'fast and catchy' tunes with 'whisky-soaked vocals'.{{Cite web|last=skullbone76|date=5 February 2013|title=Bourbon Boys 'Shotguns, Trucks and Cattle' CD Review|url=https://skullbanger.net/2013/02/05/bourbon-boys-shotguns-trucks-and-cattle-cd-review/|access-date=8 June 2020|website=Skullbanger Media}}{{Cite web|title=Rocktimes – CD-Review / Bourbon Boys – Shotguns, Trucks & Cattle|url=https://www.rocktimes.info/Archiv/gesamt/b/bourbon_boys/shotguns_trucks_and_cattle.html|access-date=8 June 2020|website=rocktimes.info}}{{Cite web|last=Boris|first=Martin Wasala, Michael Neber, Julia Faehndrich, Heinz Christmann, Michael Ahlsdorf, Jens Müller, Heide Heim, Dirk|title=Bourbon Boys – Hail To The Chief|url=https://www.rockandroad.de/musik/country/bourbon+boys+hail+to+the+chief_1310.html|access-date=8 June 2020|website=rockandroad.de|language=de|archive-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923172136/http://www.rockandroad.de/musik/country/bourbon+boys+hail+to+the+chief_1310.html|url-status=dead}}
Hulkoff's first solo record Kven was released in 2017. It received more mixed reviews, with some critics praising its 'formidable force' as 'true warrior metal'. However, others noted the fairly conventional song structure and 'genre-typical melodies' in some parts.{{Cite web|title=Hulkoff – Kven|url=https://www.rockhard.de/reviews/hulkoff-kven_414926.html|access-date=8 June 2020|website=Rock Hard Heavy-Metal-Magazine}} That same year, Hulkoff also contributed a country-rock song, entitled These Guns, to the soundtrack of the flight simulator video game Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China.{{Cite web|title=Pär Hulkoff|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7957374/|access-date=11 June 2020|website=IMDb}}
In early 2020 he released a new solo single, Ingvar, which he revealed was from an upcoming album entitled Pansarfolk.{{Cite web|last=Peterson|first=Eric|date=6 March 2020|title=Hulkoff: releases new single "Ingvar," and gives Brutal Planet Magazine the story behind the song.|url=https://brutalplanetmag.com/hulkoff-releases-new-single-ingvar-and-gives-brutal-planet-magazine-the-story-behind-the-song/|access-date=8 June 2020|website=BPM}} The album will be released in two editions, one with the lyrics sung in English and the other in Swedish. Pansarfolk was released on 25 September and sold out of all physical copies on pre-order alone.{{Cite web|last=Peterson|first=Eric|date=21 September 2020|title=Brutal Planet Magazine interviews Hulkoff|url=https://brutalplanetmag.com/brutal-planet-magazine-interviews-hulkoff/|access-date=1 October 2020|website=BPM}} It hit number one on the Swedish heavy metal album charts during the first week of release.{{Cite web|title=Veckolista Hårdrock, vecka 40|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/93|access-date=2 October 2020|website=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv}} Anders Johannsson, former drummer with HammerFall and now ManOWar, features on most tracks on the album. It also includes more traditional Nordic instrumentation than previous Hulkoff albums, including the Talharpa and the Nyckelharpa.
Early reviewers called Pansarfolk "fighting folk metal, full of fervour and a primal passion that comes from the woods of northern Sweden"{{Cite web|last=Musicalypse|first=Guest|date=23 September 2020|title=(2020) Hulkoff: Pansarfolk|url=https://www.musicalypse.net/2020-hulkoff-pansarfolk/|access-date=1 October 2020|website=Musicalypse}} and "like The Devil Went Down to Georgia on power metal steroids"
Personal life
Hulkoff started his interest in music around age nine, and he can sing fluently in both his native Swedish and English.{{Cite web |date=12 September 2018 |title=Interview Hulkoff |url=https://sickanddestroy.info/2018/09/12/interview-hulkoff/ |access-date=8 June 2020 |website=Sick And Destroy }}{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In his life outside of music, Hulkoff is a keen hunter and outdoorsman.{{Cite web |last=Anders Ekdahl |title=Hulkoff – Battle Helm |url=http://battlehelm.com/interviews/hulkoff/ |access-date=8 June 2020}}