I will keep it short and concise, as one uses to call it. So, first a word about the band, the label, the release and stuff, then an impression about the aural content of this second recording.
- The band was formed in 2017 by multi-instrumentalist Janne Tuikkala (also known from Dawn Of Everwinter and Muria), eventually joined by chansonnier Janne Partanen (Uhriristi, Hautajaisyö, ex-Redeye, Alfa Pentatonik, etc.) and bass player Markus Räipiö (also active in Kaira);
- One album before: Kuoleman Siipien Havina (2023); for the review: see link below;
- Once again released in partnership with Finnish finest Inverse Records (also the goth-father of some releases by the members’ other current of former bands);
- Mastered by Kurki Petteri, who worked with Kaira before;
- Artwork done once again by Awinita Alm, known for her assistance with the former Verilehto release (Kuoleman Siipien Havina), and notorious for her visual work for releases by bands like Veruta, Azgaroth, Nocturnal Mystery or Artach;
- ‘aarnihauta’ means something like ‘ancient tomb’, ‘verilehto’ is ‘bloodbath’…
Well, since I couldn’t dislike the former album, though I wasn’t that aroused either, it was a mental test to see whether this newest piece did show a significant progress, a stagnation, then again a drop-back. I am pleased to notice a certain positive evolution for sure. All together: hurray!
No, seriously. What I did miss with 2003’s Kuoleman Siipien Havina was an own face, a structure, a coherence. As said, it wasn’t a bad release at all, but two years of experience results in a fine progression.
The whole still comes with a certain grooving hint, yet that ‘groove’ is more absorbed by the whole execution this time, rather than an additional element. The very same goes for the heathen attitude, the epic aspects. These too have now been injected into the total package, along with that groovy viewpoint, and therefor the maturity sounds more coherent.
But there’s more. The individual compositions have increased as well. The dark atmosphere is less catchy, I admit, but that catchiness has been replaced by a rather dramatic, ergo an more in-depth, approach. Combined with the mid- to up-tempo speed, the well-balanced technicity, and the epic atmosphere, one cannot ignore a certain majesty indeed. The slower parts add a sphere of nostalgia and desolation - take Nälänhätä, for instance, with an ending that is purest Filosofem worship (!), or Tuhkaverho, breathing purest old school melancholia - and in combination with the old styled sound-quality (I am sure it is on purpose, and I am thankful for this production outcome), such compositions make undersigned happy. The band includes faster chapters too, once in a while even interrupted by some blasting eruption, such as the energetic Punk-injected Blackened Death hymn Kalman Sotajuokko or the somewhat comparable anti-lullaby Syöjätär.
Aarnihauta is a huge step forward compared to the debut. Personally I prefer toe old-styled, rather melancho-epic pieces, but in its totality the album does convince for sure. A whispering voice in my head tells me that the next effort will be a real highlight. If this band’s progression continues this way, that rational voice will be right…
https://verilehto.bandcamp.com/album/aarnihauta
https://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/verilehto
https://inverserecords.bandcamp.com/