Finland – Page 3 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Dawn of Solace – Affliction Vortex

Last year, we already had Saukkonen visiting us with Wolfheart, but this year, Dawn of Solace is back with Affliction Vortex, promising a tempest of sadness and melancholy with the signature Finnish sound. I don’t know how this man stays so productive, but we’ve learned that the more pressure and projects he has going on, the better the product. Also, since Dawn of Solace’s duo returned, they’ve probably been the most consistent of all his projects. Hence, I do have some discrete expectations. Don’t blame me—this is my guilty pleasure!

Havukruunu – Tavastland

Yes, I decided to be early with this one. Those who know the game understand that Havukruunu has become one of the hidden gems of the Black/Folk Metal scene. It’s the less dramatic but more aggressive Moonsorrow style that, for many, was exactly what Folk Metal needed to stop being a gimmicky parody of the genre, where all those bagpipes and accordions in choruses were getting a bit old. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Tavastland, but does it deliver? Let’s find out.

Sepulchral Curse – Crimson Moon Evocations

Oh wow! We already have a new Sepulchral Curse album. It feels like yesterday when the band released Abhorrent Dimensions. So far, I only have good things to say about this Finnish pack—they deliver massive and evil Death Metal with zero remorse. However, it’s always been evident to me that the band could take another path. Maybe in Crimson Moon Evocations, the Finns will show us old-school Death Metal in a different way. Or maybe I’m just being hopeful…

Retro-Review: Thaurorod – Anteinferno

Elyna Kahn

It is the year of our Lord 2013. The world bid farewell to Nelson Mandela, the South African leader who championed the fight against apartheid and racial injustice. In Southeast Asia, Typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc, claiming over 6,000 lives in the Philippines. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza building resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities. Right, the Metal…

Adamantra – Act III: Pareidolia of Depravity

Elyna Kahn

Are you familiar with the words “Pareidolia” and “Depravity”? Pareidolia refers to a psychological phenomenon where the human mind perceives faces in random images, lights, and shadows. A good example is the classic emoji, known worldwide due to social media. When keyboard characters combine, we see a face expressing a specific emotion, though it is merely signs arranged in a certain manner. We attribute that combination of signs to a particular facial expression and emotion.

Swallow the Sun – Shining

Elased

Swallow the Sun is at a crossroads. The year 2024 marks the beginning of a new era for it. Just one glance at the cover of its new album Shining makes it unmistakably clear: everything is different from today! This is exciting and stirs curiosity, but it also has its downsides. So before we delve into the music, let me say a few words: Yes, I was also taken aback when I heard the first single for the first time—but I was even more shocked by the sometimes harsh and nasty comments that this and subsequent audio samples received from some “so-called fans”. Did Swallow the Sun deserve that? Absolutely not! Every musician has the right to artistic freedom and to express their own creativity—even if that means rethinking their previous style. Just think of bands like Anathema, Opeth, Katatonia, and so many others. And Swallow the Sun certainly hasn’t been treading water for nine albums either.

Ensiferum – Winter Storm

Elyna Kahn

Ensiferum will release its highly anticipated album Winter Storm soon! Renowned for its Melodic Death Metal sound, the band has built a successful career since forming in 1997. The 2020 album Thalassic achieved significant success, propelling Ensiferum to world tours before the pandemic ruined everything. Now, four years later, the band is back with Winter Storm, an album that promises to captivate fans with its powerful blend of Viking Folk Metal and evolved melodic elements.

Barathrum -Überkill

When I got Barathrum’s Überkill and read that this was a Finnish Black Metal band, all alarms went off at MER HQ. Panic and anxiety ensued! We called our contact in intelligence to run a background check on the band. Luckily, nothing sketchy came up! So, I could proceed with reviewing what many call the first Black Metal band from the land of a thousand lakes. Join me, and let’s uncover some hidden history!

Devenial Verdict – Blessing of Despair

In 2022, Devenial Verdict released Ash Blind, an album that was among the best I found that year. So, you can imagine that when I heard Blessing of Despair was coming out this year, I was more excited than the last time Transcending Obscurity did a “name your price” digital sale (I’m not hinting at anything for the future, of course! wink wink). Still, I also felt a bit nervous because we’ve had so much amazing Disso-Death this year that I started to wonder if there were any areas left to explore in the subgenre. Let’s see if Devenial Verdict has an answer for us!

Wintersun – Time II

Some things are certain in life: taxes, death, and that Wintersun will take a long time between releases. Honestly, I wasn’t sure we would ever get Time II until I saw the promo. There’s always so much anticipation when it comes to this band, and given how its last album received mixed reviews, my expectations were so grounded that I was listening to Wintersun with the same attention and “objectivity” (an absurd term to use in a review) as I would for any other promo in my email inbox. Having said that, you came here to find out if Power Metal/MeloDeath can offer something fresh as a sub-genre, right?