Viszlát nyár / AWS / Hungary | Review

AWS: Will Eurovision voters embrace Hungary's metal?

Rock and its many sub genres have never been among the most successful styles of music to grace the Eurovision stage. Quite possibly, the competition's archetypal (and most popular) example is Finland's 2006 winner Lordi - but that act probably won more for the accompanying visuals than for the song itself. Consequently, metalcore band AWS is going to have its work cut out when it takes to the stage for Hungary with its powerful, out of control anthem, Viszlát nyár (Goodbye Summer).

AWS certainly seem to fit the 'angry young man' attitude that defines their modus operandi. Many of their previous videos have used familiar faces interposed with images of violence in order to highlight global problems. The lyrics to Viszlát nyár do not seem to follow this trend, however - apparently relating the woes of a broken heart rather than a broken world, only in an aggressively defiant way. No sugar-coated romance ballad here.

It's satisfying, then, that The Eurovision Song Contest can be open to all kinds of musical expression. Unfortunately, the majority of the audience is not so embracing, particularly when it comes to the less commercial, less melodic forms of rock music. One previous example is Max Jason Mai who represented Slovakia in 2012. Don't Close Your Eyes finished last in its semi-final mainly because most of the voting audience closed their ears.

Personally, this type of music is not my thing either. Then again, I also don’t enjoy many of the boring middle of the road songs that are dished up year on year. Not every entry is ever going to be to my taste, much as those I like will be despised by others.

The problem here is that while AWS will get attention for being musically spectacular, the votes for them will generally come from people professing a sense of musical solidarity. For better or worse, the bulk of voters are likely to ignore them and ultimately Goodbye Summer will turn into Goodbye Eurovision.

Image by MrSilesian (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Hungary 

Artist: AWS

Song: Viszlát nyár 

Semi-Final 2 | Second Half