PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Hailing from Finland this black/folk metal band are due to go on tour later this year and this, their latest offering, is a good indication of why you should buy yourself a ticket now. Blodsvept, is FINNTROLL’s sixth studio album which is due out on 25th March. Formed in 1997 and sticking to the folk side of their roots, this new recording is a great introduction to FINTROLL.
One of the things you notice from this album is that this is a band that simultaneously does and doesn’t take themselves seriously. The songs are well-produced and flow naturally from one to the next, almost without you noticing. There’s great use of a variety of different instruments and styles and what I also enjoy about it is the combination of dark, menacing vocals with an upbeat, fun melody that’s not just a little bit cheeky.
Take ‘Mordminnen’ and ‘Tyä Ormar’ with their fabulous swing elements, which I defy you to not want to grab the person next to you and start dancing about. Which is where ‘Midvinterdraken’ comes is with its delicious monsters (sorry, trolls) ball waltz sound – make this a video, please. For those not fully converse with waltzing, try ‘Slövlarens Död’ which is much more drum focussed and sinister, competing with the other tracks to let you know they’re coming for you.
These songs are made for live shows and I for one will be very interested to see if my expectations come true at their upcoming gigs. There is such promise from the energy of the songs and atmosphere they bring that I can easily see them translating into some cracking sets – take ‘Fanskapsfylld’ as an example. Though that’s the problem, whenever I try and select an example, the tracks have moved on, leaving me to vote for the next one.
This is a very easy to listen to album and before you know it you’re more than half way through (as well as potentially making other commuters just a little nervous with your chair dancing). If you want something that will engage you and make you want to go to a gig straight way and jump about like a lunatic, this is the album for you.
Rating: 9/10
Track Listing:
1. Blodsvept (4:30)
2. Ett Folk Förbannat (3:24)
3. När Jättar Marschera (4:07)
4. Mordminnen (3:25)
5. Rösets Kung (3:16)
6. Skövlarens Död (3:45)
7. Skogsdotter (4:53)
8. Häxbrygd (3:52)
9. Tva Ormar (3:17)
10. Fanskapsfylld (2:57)
11. Midvinterdraken (5:38)
Band Lineup:
Mathias Lillmåns a.k.a. Vreth – Vocals
Mikael Karlbom a.k.a Routa – Guitars
Samuli Ponsimaa a.k.a. Skrymer – Guitars
Henri Sorvali a.k.a.Trollhorn – Keyboards, Guitar
Aleksi Virta a.k.a. Virta – Keyboards
Sami Uusitalo a.k.a. Tundra – Bass
Samuel Ruotsalainen a.k.a Beast Dominator – Drums
Band Websites:
