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HAVUKRUUNU “Tavastland”
HAVUKRUUNU “Tavastland”
By Dr. Abner Mality
Words almost completely fail me this time around. Yeah, the blowhard is speechless! This record is just….My God, it’s so good! Unless something utterly god-like appears, this is a lock to be my #1 record of 2025. I knew Finland’s HAVUKRUUNU was awesome...after all, their record “Uinuos Syomein Sota” was my favorite of 2020...but “Tavastland” is indescribably excellent. This will probably be in my ALL-TIME Top 10.
What HAVUKRUUNU do better than any other band in metal is MAJESTY. Each of the 8 tracks here is bursting with feelings of pure majesty and ancient glory. They do it better than IMMORTAL, better than ENSLAVED, better than anybody. The way they use male choirs to enhance the glorious riffs is breath-taking...check out the title track to see what I mean. The riffs on the song itself are astonishing, but when that choir comes ringing in, it transforms the song even more. Needless to say, the lyrics here are all in Finnish and in fact, HAVUKRUUNU’s music is Finnish to the Nth degree. If you want to understand what medieval Finland was like, listen to “Tavastland”.
To go over each of the tracks here would just be needlessly repeating myself. I think “Havukruunu ja Taivenvarjo” might be my favorite song...again, the MAJESTY just puts a lump in my throat. I do want to say that this record is HEAVY all the way. Even though folk elements and choirs are used, this is 100% a metal record and no wimping out allowed. “Kuoleman Oma” does ease up on the speed somewhat and has more of a folkish feeling but still cranks. Last track “De Miseria Fennorum” is the album epic, ending with a solemn and austere vibe. It’s 10 minutes plus but seems to last less. Most tracks are of middling length, yet still have that chest-pounding feeling of glory.
That’s about all I can say. This may be the best black metal/folk metal album I have ever heard. Enough of my feeble words...pick this up and BELIEVE!!!
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