Album Review: Havukruunu - Tavastland
Reviewed by Gareth Pugh
Havukruunu isn’t a name that will be familiar to many I imagine, but this four-piece Finnish outfit has been active for almost twenty years, ‘Tavastland’ is their fourth full length album and the first since 2020’s much acclaimed ‘Uinuos syömein Sota’.
I first came across this fascinating and unique band back in the late part of 2020, when I was perusing end of year lists and videos, searching for hidden gems that might have slipped through the net, and ‘Uinuos syömein Sota’ certainly fitted that requirement; appearing on many an obscure YouTube channel top 10 albums of the year ranking, that my interest was piqued enough for me to search them out, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Havukruunu aren’t going to appeal to everyone, for starters the song titles, lyrics and singing are in Finnish, so that may turn many people off to start, but if you have a more open mind then this could be one of the most rewarding albums you will listen to all year. It’s not easy to really pin down the Havukruunu sound, a simple description would be epic black metal, but that really doesn’t tell the whole story, as many of the riffs and melodies would be perfectly at home on a traditional metal album, and there’s a pagan almost folky feel throughout many of the passages.
‘Tavastland’ (Tavastia is a historical province in the south of Finland) tells the story of how in 1237, the Tavastians rose up against the Christian church, and drove its priests into the frozen forests to die! Certainly, a dark enough tale for an extreme metal album, and the atmosphere is as impressive as its premise, you can almost feel the chill seep into your bones, as the intense riffs and driving rhythms, hit you like the biting winds blowing over the icy tundra, while the haunting melodies take you back to a time pre-technology, when humanity was in tune with nature, and not reliant on modern luxuries. There’s something primordial about the music contained here, it’s hypnotic, dark and unrelenting in its passion.
After it’s spoken intro, opening track ‘Kuolematon Laulunhenki’ (rough translation - The Immortal Spirit of Song) bursts forth with a triumphant metallic barrage of guitar (Stefan & Hennka), bass (the returning Humö) and drums (Kostajainen), before Stefan’s harsh yet fitting voice strikes forth. The title-track starts with the hooting of an owl, and these atmospheric touches appear throughout the entire album, giving it a natural, call of the wild feel. Backing choirs also add to this atmospheric ambience. The band doesn't stray too far from its core sound, but each track is embedded with its own character and charm. Last track the 10 min epic ‘De Miseriis Fennorum’ (The Miseries of the Fens) is possibly the most ambitious with layers of churning riffs, swirling harmonies and soaring solos.
Production wise, the sound is more organic this time round, with a warmer, rounder and more natural feel than some of its predecessors, the heavy parts sound more crushing whilst the quieter acoustic parts feel more epic and beautiful. This is definitely one to check out if you love Bathory’s more epic ‘Viking’ period, or the more ‘heroic’ releases of the likes of ‘Immortal’ or even the symphonic ‘Moonsorrow’, and please don’t let the native Finnish put you off, as the band do a magnificent job of relaying the passion and intensity of their art. This is a brilliant album and a worthy addition to their almost flawless back catalogue, highly recommended.
