Havukruunu is one of Finland’s finest black metal exports, and has become an essential pillar of paganism-infused atmospheric excellence. The band combines the style’s penchant for soaring, flowing notes with the raw and icy tones sometimes missing from the legions of Bergtatt-worshipping pretenders. Albums like 2017’s Kelle surut soi and 2020’s Uinuos syömein sota made the band synonymous with quality: a sound at once fierce and powerful, yet also dramatic and majestic.
And thus the epic saga continues on the band’s latest album, Tavastland, which Decibel is proud to present in it’s full glory here today. Fans of the band’s previous work will find a deep well of riffs, growls, and blasts to mine from, but will also find a band that has further tightened, honed and perfected its core sound. While I’ve liked everything the band has done in the past, I feel like the writing has taken a big step on this album. There’s just more of a “wow” factor in how the parts come together that’s immediately apparent, whereas the previous albums could take a little more time to sink in.
Stefan, the band’s lead vocalist, has this message for listeners:
“Fuck it up and turn up the evil fire to blaze from your speakers to achieve an altered blasphemous state, hail the gods of four winds and let your steel shine bright in the light of the moon. Let the heaths, titan-woods and dark waters of Tavastland sing you their songs of sorrow and enchantment!!!”
I’m sold. Tavastland comes out tomorrow via Svart Records.