Moonsorrow - Jumalten aika

Moonsorrow is a band that combines folk metal, heathen elements, epic battles, and blackened metal to create something so unique and amazing that since first hearing them in 2003, they have become my all time favorite band. Will that make this review of their brand new seventh full length album, Jumalten aika, a bit biased? Perhaps, but the quality of their music speaks for itself. With every album they have seemed to take their sound a bit further. Their last three albums seemed to be going into a darker direction; inserting more black metal into their sound. But with Jumalten aika, we see the band combining their elements from entire career into one epic album that is nothing short of perfect.

This album is epic from start to finish but this emphasis on long epic songs seems to turn some fans off. Even though they were never known for having songs that were less than six minutes, they seemed to only include one or two songs over ten minutes in length. With Verisäkeet they began making the long epics the rule and not the exception. Why this was an issue is beyond me because Moonsorrow is not a song band but an album band. By that, I mean that their albums take you on a musical journey and should be consumed in their entirety and not on a song by song basis. Most of their songs segue right into each other anyway. Jumalten aika is an album that continues the cycle of predominantly long songs obviously because this album fills up an hour and seven minutes with just five songs. Not every band is able to do this and still create a coherent album. Moonsorrow not only pulls it off, with this album they have perfected it.

The title track starts it off with some flute, drums, and mouth harp. Right away you are taken back into time where the ancient gods ruled. The English translation of the album title and this song is The Age of Gods so the music fits right in with the subject matter. As the vocal chants lead to the bombastic riffing you can feel the epic nature of this song. At almost thirteen minutes in length, there is no time where this song meanders or bores you. Instead is slowly builds as it moves along, only slowing briefly in the middle, then continues it momentum to this magnificent crescendo. The song ends abruptly but segues right into the next song, "Ruttolehto incl. Päivättömän päivän kansa." This fifteen plus minute epic is sheer brilliance from beginning to end using their tried and true formula of taking you on that journey to the old world. There is an amazing folk part in the middle that includes flutes and chanting then the choirs come in to give you the chills. The last few minutes of the song are clean choirs and folk melodies including the unmistakable vocals of Jonne Järvelä of Korpiklaani fame.

"Mimisbrunn" is ,quite possibly, the best song that Moonsorrow has ever done. The opening melody reminds me a bit of "Jotunheim" from Verisäkeet as the song slowly builds to this amazing melody with vocals that are so intense. The English translation of this song is Mimir's Well, the well that contained so much wisdom that Odin gave his eye to drink from it. There are so many layers to this song and each one is more intense and more incredible than the other. The melody in the middle with the flutes providing melodies simultaneously with the guitars is just chilling. Mere words can not describe the feeling I get from this song. The album ends with another amazing epic, "Ihmisen aika (Kumarrus pimeyteen)." Clocking in at sixteen minutes flat, this epic song is the album's crescendo as all of the songs were building to this monster of a song to close the album. The intensity of the melodies and the pure emotion in the vocals are absolutely mesmerizing. The brief acoustic break in the middle fits just perfectly as the song builds to a finale only to end with just vocals over what sounds like campfire.

Once again, Moonsorrow has created an album that is the epitome of perfection. The fact that they took their time to create an album of this magnitude shows throughout the entire album. This is not just a mere collection of songs put together to fill up an hour. Instead, this is a composition in five parts. Each part can stand on it's own but when they put these parts together they created something absolutely brilliant. This album is why they are my all time favorite band.

10/10

Moonsorrow - Suden Uni

Moonsorrow are probably my favorite band of the new millennium era of metal bands. These guys play a folk metal/black metal/pagan metal. It's kinda hard to nail them down....I like to call them heathen/nature metal due to their lyrics. And speaking of lyrics, thankfully they translate all of their lyrics because they sing in Finnish, their native tongue. They have six full lengths, four demos and an EP to date. This is Suden Uni, their debut full length released in February of 2001. I first heard this band some time right after their third full length was released in 2003 and I immediately became a fan. This band is epic as fuck and the talent that is displayed by these guys is undeniable. Their mix of  folk and metal is stunning and this album is a fine example of the best of this sub genre of metal that seemed to grow very large during the previous decade.

The album kicks off with "Ukkosenjumalan Poika" ("Son of the God of Thunder" if your Finnish is rusty) and the riffs begin with bombastic drums and epic keys. The songwriting here is just amazing with the keyboards providing a symphonic atmosphere that can take you away but without overpowering the guitars. The guitars are done with riffs and huge chords to pummel you. The vocals are of a black metal nature that sound painful and maybe angry at times but full of emotion. This is the quintessential album opener that leads right into the opening riff of the second song, "Köyliönjärven jäällä (Pakanavedet II") ("On the Ice of Köyliönjärvi (Pagan Waters II"). Along with the epic riffs of this song the keys are right in there...then what the fuck? Accordion? Yes, it is and this is one of those things that make this band so special. But along with accordions and even mouth harps is this massive wall of guitars, electric and acoustic, giving this song even more depth. There are some clean vocals here and there that sound like male choirs.

This band writes long songs and on this album the longer songs range between six and eleven minutes in length with two instrumentals that are not as long. Given their length, these songs never get boring or get cumbersome. They flow along and keep you interested...because they can write good songs. The songs are intricate without becoming pretentious. "Kuin ikuinen" ("As Eternal") is a fine example with many tempo changes and riff changes that keep you listening, even the sound of an epic battle is included. How can you not love this band? Once again, the keys give this even more depth and an epic feeling. "Tuulen koti, aaltojen koti" ("Home of the Wind, Home of the Waves") is an absolute beautiful instrumental that starts with the sound of the ocean and acoustic guitars for the intro going into bombastic guitars and keyboards making you feel like you are there. There's a faint flute playing in there as well. The song builds with guitars (acoustic and electric), keys, accordions and that faint flute. That shit gives me goose bumps! More proof that this is one of the finest bands in metal and above that, something very special.

Now "1065: Aika" ("1065: Time") has to be given mention just due to it's complexity and epic sound. This is the longest song on the album clocking in at eleven minutes. It begins with the sound of wind, some keyboards and some far off acoustic guitars very softly slowly getting louder that builds up to these massive guitar riffs and vocal screams. Then this builds up with epic guitars and keys with some clean vocals as well as some black metal screams all leading to a crescendo of clean vocal choirs. Here's them goddamn goosebumps again! Look, if you don't get goosebumps from this, check your pulse because you may be DEAD! No other band has made me feel this way about their music. Pop the CD on, get your headphones on, lay back and go on a journey that takes you to the forest, then to epic battle scenes, and then to the sea. There is no other band like this, anywhere!

10/10