Finland's black metal masters Horna have really outdone themselves here on their brand new 2CD release Sanojesi Aarelle. Though their recorded output over the last decade or so has been pretty solid overall, normally you can expect something new from them almost every year and it doesn't deviate much from the norm. Not so here on Sanojesi Aarelle, as the band have easily put together one of their most enjoyable slabs of raw black metal since their early days. Disc 1 hits you full force like a runaway train, the first thing you notice are the HUGE riffs from Shatraug & Infection, so huge they'll remind you of classic Primordial in the power and heaviness departments. Tracks like "Muinaisten Alttarilta" and "Verilehto" are two of the best kick-off songs to any black metal album I've heard since Dimmu Borgir's In Sorte Diaboli knocked our teeth in with the two lead in pieces off that CD. Singer Corvus and his tortured wailings are all over the raging "Mustan Kirkkauden Sarastus", and though we can't make out a word of his native Finnish bellowing, the guy sure gets his point across. If you like vintage Horna, the speed-of-light, primal & raw style that they are known for, check out "Wikinger", "Askeesi", "Orjaroihu", or the furious title track, guitars raging and blast beats 'a flyin' all over the mix. Over on Disc 2, the tone and tempo changes drastically, as the production become less clear, guitars and drums thick and muddy, and there's more reliance on atmosphere and textures. "Ruumisalttari" sees plenty of melodic riffing paired up with pounding drums and Corvus' pained growls, and it's a formula that's worked to their advantage throughout this CD. The feel of both sets of music is strikingly different, but each are just as enjoyable in the end. For the first time in years, Horna has given us something a bit different, a collection of songs that looks to push their boundaries just a little bit, and it really works, making for their strongest effort in quite some time.
Track Listing
Disc 1
1. Muinaisten Alttarilta 05:30
2. Verilehto 05:22
3. Mustan Kirkkauden Sarastus 04:43
4. Katseet 04:25
5. Askeesi 04:42
6. Sanojesi Äärelle 04:19
7. Orjaroihu 04:28
8. Risti Ja Ruoska 04:54
9. Wikinger 03:25
10. Merkuriana 06:02
Disc 2
1. Liekki Ja Voima 10:57
2. Ruumisalttari 07:01
3. Musta Rukous 10:50
4. Baphometin Siunaus 08:39
Total playing time 01:25:17
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