Pohjoinen: Pohjoinen

The psychologist William James once said that Americans never completely give themselves to sitting in a chair because their characters are so nervous, so tightly wound. Even though Pohjoinen is a Finnish band, I see some of that unsteady nervousness on the cover of this album. Even though the man in the chair is clearly sitting, there's something about his posture that suggests he's not completely comfortable or secure. Moreover, his gaze is off center and curious, as though he's looking at something only he alone understands. Behind him, the band's name is emblazoned on the wall, broken up in groups of three. It's a striking image, but it's unclear exactly what it means.

Fortunately, the music on this album is somewhat more straightforward. Finding a label for it might be difficult, but the music always hits the right grooves and it moves forward with gusto. The band mostly plays a doom-like style of music, down-tuned, slow paced, and gritty, but there's something else to it, something that approaches hard rock, perhaps. I don't want to limit all this with a label. Suffice it to say, this band would fit well into the doom mold, if the music occasionally pulls away from it. I liked what I heard. The songs are well-written and persuasively performed. I recommend "Kuolema" as a good place to start on this album. The pace is slow, but the energy is strong. It's also fun to listen to the lyrics, clearly performed, in Finnish.

As things develop, the songs actually get better. Especially strong is "Helvetin Aurinko," a song that shows off even more of the band's doomier side. Stick around, too, for "Elo," the album's impressive closer. Recommended for fans of the slow burn, doom, and hard rock.

Track Listing:
1. RJD
2. Kuolema
3. Joki
4. Luovuttaja
5. Kulkuri
6. Tähdissä Nukkuva
7. Lehto
8. Helvetin Aurinko
9. Elo

Added: November 10th 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
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Language: english

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