Meeting as young teens in Sweden, Yung Lean and Yung Gud bonded over their love of music alongside the third member of Sad Boys Entertainment (SBE), Yung Sherman. Less known to fans of the rap collective, in 2014, Lean and Gud branched off to release their first EP under the grunge-rock band alias, Död Mark. When SBE tried their hardest to replicate American rap styles within their earliest releases, Död Mark stayed true to the yellow cross and kept the music in nearly complete Swedish. 

“4 Evigt” is a beautiful title track, directly translating to “Forever” in Swedish. The simple yet effective title shows the bond between Lean and Gud and how their Swedish roots will stay everlasting. It was released as a single prior to the release of the punk band’s sophomore album and focuses heavily on the concepts of resilience and success despite the doubt of the people around them, echoed in lyrics like, “And everyone who didn’t believe in us, can’t you see what we’ve done is forever?” Nearly a decade after Död Mark’s first release, SBE is still thriving, making these lyrics hold so much more weight than it seems at first glance. 

Further into the album, the theme of love, albeit not happy love, rings heavy. On the track “Öga 4 Öga,” we can hear an almost upbeat instrumental, a common theme setting this project apart from the rest of their work. The lyrics, however, remind us of the dark feeling the band loves to bring; “And the love that you miss, is nothing you can get back” hits you right where it hurts as you can’t help but tap a finger to the drum track. Those sadder, brooding feelings fade when listening to “Strålkastarljus (Lovestoned),” with a simple, yet capturing instrumental track that still slightly encapsulates the original grunge feel of the Swedish duo. We can see the lyrics of this track falling more into the happier side of love songs, with lyrics like, “Spotlights from everywhere, the way she walks everything goes from cold to warm,” where we hear Lean show the intense warmth that the simplest things can bring when you’re feeling love. 

Going a layer deeper than the main vocals, this project shows not only the insane talent, but extreme versatility of the criminally underrated Yung Gud. From the ethereal and airy guitar instrumental on “FFF Freestyle,” to the utilization of the saxophone on “Ikaros,” the project has  an amazingly lighthearted feel where both halves of  Död Mark were able to explore the endless bounds of their musical abilities. Contrasting extremely from their initial EP release, “Demos,” in 2014, this project shines light on the growth both artists have had over the years, and shows that Död Mark wasn’t a one-off gig for the two SBE members.

“Död Mark 4Evigt” is available to listen to on all streaming platforms.