Moonsorrow
Kivenkantaja

If I have to be honest, initially I was really very skeptical about the real value of one of the latest born among the various sub-genres of metal music: the so-called Viking Metal.

Direct heirs of the works from the epic period of Bathory by master Quorthon, the bands of the aforementioned genre actually present interesting, multifaceted propositions, mixed with other genres (above all Black Metal and Folk, but also Gothic, more peculiar Ambient and so on) and quite varied. However, the goal is common, to recreate Nordic atmospheres with a very epic flavor. With mixed results, at least in my opinion.

Among all the bands of this genre that I've ever happened to listen to, the Finnish Moonsorrow have certainly been the most valid and worthy of attention. "Kivenkantaja" (transl. "The Stonebearer"), released in 2003, projects the listener straight into a sea of notes where coldness, epicness, melancholy, and Nordic folklore unite. For this record, the band wisely set aside the more distinctly Black Metal influences (now evident only in the use of scream vocals in some passages by one of the most particular vocalists I have ever heard, Ville Sorvali). All 6 tracks are surrounded by a deeply evocative spirit, dominating in this sense is the excellent keyboard work of Henri Sorvali (already with Finntroll), capable of creating majestic and extremely solemn atmospheres and the use of choirs, always omnipresent, but never used in a trivial way.

Precisely the abandonment of the more Metal influences has made listening to 'Kivenkantaja' a bit more challenging compared to previous records, as the tracks have an average length of just under ten minutes. However, the talent of the band in interweaving granite riffs, dreamy melodies, and more acoustic passages in such a varied way that it never bores the listener should be appreciated. All the tracks, as I already mentioned, have a very epic feeling, so I advise those who do not love this type of atmosphere to stay away. The most representative track of the album, the opener "Raunioilla" (transl. "At the Ruins") with its over 13 minutes, is an excellent example of what I'm saying: the measured and powerful riffs typical of a certain epic metal alternate with passages imbued with folk melodies that really seem to transport you to distant lands and times. The band also knows how to strike decisively, as demonstrated by a song like "Unohduksen Lapsi" (transl. "Child of Oblivion"), perhaps the most accessible track, so to speak... Other gems are the title track, a masterpiece where the folk component and the black one blend perfectly, or the epic "Jumalten Kaupunki" (transl. "City of Gods"), a song that could easily be used as the soundtrack for a movie.

In conclusion, I recommend giving "Kivenkantaja" a chance, an undoubtedly very difficult and intricate album but that represents a true gem of epic music shining in a sea of darkness. The alleged search for an epic and majestic sound, in fact (and I'm not just talking in the Viking realm), has ended up putting a strain on many bands that, incapable of putting a certain personality into their tracks, rely increasingly on the repetition of things already heard too long. The merit of Moonsorrow is therefore being able to stand out from other bands for depth in a genre that very often falls into the gaudy and the ridiculous. It seems right, therefore, to confront the weightiness of "Kivenkantaja" if only to reward the personality of a great band.