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When night falls onto the sub-arctic landscapes of the Land of the Thousand Lakes, in the twilight of forest and swamps, the veils between our reality and the otherworld grow thin. It is at those times that stories such as 'the fairy tale that never was' leak into the lyrics and music of TENHI. On their sixth album, "Valkama", which translates as 'harbour' or 'shelter' among other meanings, the Finns originally began telling of a journey that was meant as a fairy tale in a burning, war-torn village and the crossing over dark waters to an island of the dead. The island is called Verisurma ('the place for those who have suffered blood-death') in Finnish folklore, where those dwell that died in war or were killed with a blade, and who shed blood on its shore forever. Yet, during the ten years that TENHI were working on the album, our reality started to bleed into the otherworld with its own terrors and wars. Year after year, the musicians felt their story becoming more and more real until the point was reached that the band decided to change course. Although echoes of the original work are still audible in the final music and visible in the artwork, the album now feels more harmonious and comforting, even brighter. TENHI could hardly have picked a more suitable band-name. This old Finnish word means a person that is an 'elder' or 'shaman'. And while the shamans of the ancient nomadic Finns are the guardians against but also the mediators between their communities and the spirit world, TENHI are their musical equivalent as a liminal force between dark folk, folk rock, and even reaching out into the normally electrified world of metal. The latter invites comparison with WARDRUNA and HEILUNG, although in a spiritual meaning and certainly not by way of a stylistic comparison. TENHI were conceived by guitarist and vocalist Tyko Saarikko in 1996. Ilmari Issakainen joined the band a few years later. Together they form the creative core of the group. After self-releasing the demo "Kertomuksia" (1997) and the MCD "Hallavedet" (1998), the Finns immediately hit a nerve with their debut full-length "Kauan" in 1999. TENHI started into the new millennium with another MCD entitled "Airut:ciwi" (2000), which was followed by a string of albums from "Väre" (2002) via "Maaäet" (2006) and "Airut:aamujen" (2006) to "Saivo" (2011). With each new album, the Finns continued to grow a dedicated following that is coming from different musical directions. From the start, TENHI have combined acoustic instrumentation and a traditional vibe with structures based on contemporary rock music. While their previous full-length "Saivo" tilted more towards an ambient-style and panoramic soundtrack feeling, "Valkama" returns to a more song-oriented approach – even though the tracks retain an epic and meandering format. "Valkama" comes with the trademark Finnish longing and melancholia, but despite its audible darkness, TENHI offer a musical outlet from the horrors of the modern world. In the twilight world of the North, "Valkama" is the silver-lining on the horizon promising shelter and peace.
Written by Luke Tromiczak and performed by a rotating group of musicians from across the United States, Blood and Sun are known for dark and haunting songs drawing heavily from Americana and neo-folk – likely to appeal to fans of everything from Of the Wand and the Moon and Steve Von Til to Wovenhand and Echo & The Bunnymen.
TRIUMPHANT BLACK METAL SUPREMACY FROM THE FORMER MAYHEM GUITARIST/ VLTIMAS FOUNDER, BLASPHEMER.
RUIM was formed in 2020 by the Norwegian born, Grammy award winning guitarist Blasphemer (Rune Eriksen), known from acts such as Vltimas & Mayhem.
Joining Blasphemer on drums is French born drummer Cesar Vesvre (Agressor, Thagirion).
Driven by a firm desire to revisit the style of music he has dedicated himself to & been associated with since the mid 90's & inspired by the rediscovery of a long-lost tape of old, unused Mayhem-era riffs from 98/99, the concept of starting a new project based around these ideas manifested itself quickly.
Soon, a new vision was born for an album immersed in Brazilian witchcraft and the left-hand path of the Umbanda tradition - a practice in which Blasphemer himself is taught in - to deliver a new blackened opus in the vein Blasphemer has been synonymous with since his inception into Mayhem back in 1994 (until 2007).
'Black Royal Spiritism - I.O Sino Da Igreja' is RUIM's debut studio album.
It presents a glimpse of something new, unique, visionary & highly eclectic.
This album marks the beginning of a concept set to span a trilogy of releases exploring & incorporating a deeply personal expression of Blasphemer's own beliefs regarding the greater spirits of the left-hand path.
A pitch-black offering, 'Black Royal Spiritism' is steeped in ominous & eerie, unnerving darkness.
Each track is meticulously woven with a sinister undercurrent, given flesh by Blasphemer's highly distinctive brutal riffing style, with atmospheric, ambient & clean passage interludes featuring among the chaos.
Vocals on 'Black Royal Spiritism - I.O Sino Da Igreja' are also handled by Blasphemer himself, sung in a mix of English, Portuguese & Norwegian, with lyrical themes rooted in a celebration & dedication to the lore & rituals of linha da esquerda.
'Black Royal Spiritism - I.O Sino Da Igreja' was recorded at Drudenhaus Studio in France & mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door.
Proscriptor McGovern from 'Absu' also makes a guest appearance on a savage re-recording of the Mayhem classic 'Fall Of Seraphs' bringing fresh life to the track, which Blasphemer wrote back in 1995 & which originally featured on the 'Wolf's Lair Abyss' EP.
Formed in 1992, Umeå, Sweden’s black metal nihilists NAGLFAR were quite prolific at the front of their existence. After releasing their classic debut “Vittra” in 1995 it only took them until 1998 to unleash “Diabolical”. Century Media Records is making both of their quintessential first two albums available again. The 2023 Re-issues will come with liner notes and remastered by by Dan Swanö at Unisound (Opeth, Insomnium, Asphyx and many more). Both are available as LP with a 4p LP booklet in coloured 180g vinyl, Ltd. Digipak CD and Digital Album.
A new act emerging from the Finnish extreme music underground, YRR (former members of Kadotus) plays cold and melodic Scandinavian Black Metal with a furious grip in the classic 1990's old school style.
Compilation of the first two releases of YRR´s arts, "Sokeiden Valtakunta" EP and "Vanhat Haavat Ovat Auenneet" Demo.
Digipak Cd limited to 300 copies.
If you want your old school metal to be something more than just blastbeat after blastbeat and vocals something more than muddy growling, TRAMALIZER is the right poison.
High Roller Records, ltd 500, the ultimate collection of their classic 80's recordings, Remastered by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY, March 2014 & May 2015
