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Rating: From their earliest distributed demos (excluding the never released Thorns of Ice from 1996 and the 1997 promo) it was clear that this wouldn't just be another symphonic metal band with folk influences, although this description isn't wrong, it's rather inaccurate.
Even their choice to sing in their native language (Finnish), even though you can't understand anything (thankfully they've made translations available on their website!), gives their works an uncommon exoticism and charm.
Without a doubt, this album is more of the "Viking" tradition. It's evident from the themes and especially from their appearance (if you buy Suden uni you can see them, I'll explain why later).
Suden uni was their debut, which has now been reissued to delight fans with the addition of a bonus track (a traditional Finnish song) and -most importantly- a DVD with two music videos and some live tracks; all for the price of only €17 (at least here in Florence).
As for the album, it is truly very beautiful, aggressive and melodic, biting and shrewd at the same time.
It kicks off with the extremely Viking Ukkosenjumalan Poika (which means roughly "Son of the God of Thunder"), very aggressive and sinister. Six minutes that flow smoothly without any tiring parts.
It continues with Köyliönjärven jäällä (pakanavedet II) (On the Ice of Köyliönjärvi (Pagan Waters II)) where Scandinavian folk instruments appear, which will later be revisited with equal success. Surely a nice track, but in my opinion inferior to others like Pakanajuhla.
Notable is the instrumental Tuulen koti, aaltojen koti and the previously mentioned Pakanajuhla with its majestic progression. Very enjoyable is 1065: Aika, very complex, almost solemn but also melancholic and tragic (in contrast with the "festive" air of the other tracks), with beautiful choruses and a strange alternation between clean vocals and screams.
This is an album to listen to multiple times, as it manages to alternate brightness and solemnity with the darkness of certain moments.
Another advantage is its perfect length: 50 minutes that don't feel heavy at all. Some tend to fill a CD up to 70-80 minutes, thus diminishing the quality of the album. This was not the case for them. Strong also with an inviting price, this album will captivate you.
I also wanted to talk about the accompanying DVD, which is very well made and a joy to have (considering it's practically a gift!).
The first video is taken from the album (subsequent-previous depending on your point of view) Voimasta Ja Kunniasta, and it's practically a very festive live show with the “viking-ized” audience worshiping the band. The next video is that of Jumalten Kaupunki (taken from the more recent “real” Moonsorrow album, the beautiful Kivenkantaja) which may not be the epitome of professionalism and perhaps is even a bit cheesy in places, but is truly enjoyable and fully Finnish-nationalist, as well as genuinely entertaining! The other four tracks are taken from the rainy Tuska live of 2003, which -as if that wasn't enough- boosts the Viking roots of the group. Live, the members of the group are truly wild and uncatchable. The best part is that there isn't a moment when you feel like stopping or skipping the tracks, because you can enjoy each and every one of them. Even the genre proposed isn't very common (especially for us Italians...can you imagine a singer screaming “varda 'o mare quant'è bello...”??? or “bella ciao” with a sickle and hammer on the shirt screamed, covered in fake blood??? What would you call it: black folk spaghetti metal with popular tarantella parts...???).
Truly ugly is the guitarist who looks like a yak with that big ring through his nostrils and the physique of a sumo wrestler, a familiar figure of the rawest Viking metal in Finntroll.
Buy it and write me your impressions both in the comments and at my email: dying_sun@spray.se
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