It’s that last word that forms the core of the album. They don’t wrap things up in metaphor, instead employing a lyrical approach that’s strikingly and fearlessly direct, covering a range of issues that are notably real and relevant. That song is a particularly visceral first-person account of suffering sexual assault during a gig. There’s no room for ambiguity when dealing with such a stark subject, and it’s a principle applied throughout It’s Hard To Have Hope. You don’t need a background in political thought to understand the boiling anger that runs through Feminazi?!, Revenge Porn or Pro-Life?, and that’s kind of the point. Lyrics like, ‘How dare you insult us for trying to make a difference,’ (Feminazi?!) and, ‘The body is mine, so the decision is mine,’ (Pro-Life?) shout all the louder for their clarity.
Elsewhere, Svalbard explore topics rarely investigated in even the most political bands’ catalogues. Opening single Unpaid Intern addresses the injustice of a world where the working class are locked out of certain professions. For The Sake Of The Breed, meanwhile, asks why unwanted dogs languish in animal shelters while people pay four-figure sums for designer puppies, and depression is covered in moving fashion on Try Not To Die Until You’re Dead, another song which uses personal experience to powerful effect.