Collection: Harkonen

HARKONEN stormed the northwest music scene for nearly eight years, releasing their debut self-titled 7" in 1997 as a five-piece hardcore band similar to Deadguy and Kiss It Goodbye. The band were reduced to a four-piece shortly after with the departure of guitarist Chris Vancourt and vocalist Mike Jones, marking the addition of Aaron Connell (Aaron Edge) on vocals. After releasing the Hung to Dry 7", both Aaron and guitarist Niehl Brady left the band making HARKONEN a trio with bassist Ben Verellen and guitarist Bill Quinby both contributing to vocals. Bill was later replaced by Casey Hardy on guitar, and the band went on to release their first full-length CD on Wreck-Age with this lineup, as well as their Charge! EP on Ataque Sonoro. This would also prove to be the band's most enduring lineup, lasting the rest of HARKONEN's musical career.

After a number of label changes and slowly changing the band's overall sound into a more noise rock outfit, HARKONEN landed on national label Hydrahead Records where they released the Grizz CDEP/7" and their second full-length album Shake Harder Boy. In 2003 the band released their final solo album Dancing EP on Initial Records.
HARKONEN released their final two split albums between 2004 and 2005 with Breather Resist and These Arms Are Snakes. Their last show was at the Seattle musical festival Bumbershoot in 2005. Since then Ben has helped contribute drums to These Arms Are Snakes and sing/play guitar alongside brother David Verellen (Botch, Narrows) in Roy. His latest project is Helms Alee. Matt and Casey have not been reported active in any other bands since HARKONEN broke up.