Havukruunu: Tavastland
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Andy Brown evaluations Tavastland, an album of epic black metallic from Havukruunu. He raises some satan horns for Louder Than Battle.
The times could also be beginning to get a bit of hotter however you’ll be able to depend on Havukruunu to ship some reliably icy riffs. An album full of historical past and mythology, the album title – Tavastland – refers to a Finnish tribe known as the Tavastians. Guitarist/ vocalist Stefa elaborates, describing how the Tavastians rebelled in opposition to the church and, “drove the popes bare into the frost to die.” It’s an album a couple of bloody previous and an remoted, completely disconnected, current. It’s additionally an album full of chilly but decidedly epic black metallic.
When you’re questioning simply how epic Tavastland is you then want look no additional than opening monitor, Kuolematon Laulunhenki. A short atmospheric introduction offers technique to an almighty onslaught of blast beats, guttural vocals and large metallic riffs. Oh, and there’s a choir. A fucking choir! This isn’t black metallic for remoted cabins and misanthropic musings, that is music much more suited to standing – triumphantly – on a snow-capped mountainside. It’s been some time, however I’ll have to interrupt outdated the outdated air guitar.
Yönsynty continues to bombard us with unashamedly large black metallic; blackened guitars escape into heroic solos because the choir guarantee all of it feels satisfyingly cinematic. Whereas a few of their friends prioritise sheer brutality, Havukruunu aren’t afraid to open issues up a bit of. Relaxation assured; the vocals stay harsh and reassuringly demonic. The phrases are in Finnish but it surely’s value trying up the translations for beauties like, “Thou knowest Sorrows of man/ Thou knowest of ephemeral time.” I’m undecided what it means, but it surely sounds undeniably METAL.
Whereas some black metallic embraces a decidedly lo-fi aesthetic, Tavastland is a file that strides out of the audio system on horseback whereas carrying a guitar and screaming about Valhalla. That is sizable and symphonic metallic with a way of scope. It’s across the center of the LP the place I really feel just like the band actually begin to present their enamel. The blast-beats and riffs on Havukruunu ja Talvenvarjo hit like a landslide whereas the relentless tempo and heightened drama of the title monitor is rattling close to overwhelming. It’s kinda sunny exterior however I really feel like I’m wading by way of a snowstorm.
Kuoleman Oma begins with some acoustic, medieval-sounding instrumentation. As you may anticipate, this quickly offers technique to an enormous, juggernaut of a riff. The title interprets to Dying-Doomed and incorporates lyrics about heathen gods and “chasms of loss of life.” A gloriously excessive bombardment of metallic. Unissakävijä then delivers an impressively dense and impenetrable wall of fist-pumping, Viking-like metallic. Good! Kun veri sekoittuu lumeen goes full Recreation of Thrones with lyrics like, “Clad in Black/ Bearing Mighty weapons/ Crown upon his forehead/ the king within the mist.” Winter is coming people, finest escape the studded belts and satan horn-worthy riffs.
The band exit in a blaze of black metallic glory with the 10-minute De miseriis Fennorum. The monitor encapsulates and expands on every little thing that’s nice in regards to the album: the riffs, the blast beats, the sense of scale and that fucking unbelievable choir. The lyrics talk about outdated gods and nature and describe the tech-obsessed trendy world as a “fake-ass electric-light asylum.” When you ask me, Jeff Lynne actually wants to start out a metal-inspired mission known as Faux Ass Electrical Mild Asylum. Who needs to start out the petition?
Whereas I’ll admit that I’ve smooth spot black metallic that sounds prefer it was recorded on a Dictaphone in a freezing chilly basement, it’s arduous to disclaim the albums well-produced and unabashedly epic charms. I gained’t be throwing it on daily however Tavastland is an admirably dedicated and uncompromising slice of larger-than-life metallic. If you would like some pagan black metallic with a choir, brutal vocals and humongous guitars – and let’s face it, who doesn’t – then step this manner.
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You could find Havukruunu on Fb, Instagram and Bandcamp.
All phrases by Andy Brown. You may go to his creator profile and browse extra of his evaluations for Louder Than Battle right here.
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