Havukruunu – Tavastland Review
By Dr. A.N. Grier
For a band that’s only been releasing full-lengths for ten years, Havukruunu has been hella prolific, not only with releases in general but with great releases. Also, each album seems to be better than the next. The coolest part about their sound is that they’ve proved more can be milked from bands like Bathory and Immortal.1 Be it the melodic interludes, big Viking choirs, or endless riff changes, Havukruunu continues to bring inspiration with each new record. Which, as hinted at, is difficult to do with a style that has been around since the ’80s and ’90s. And it’s no different for this year’s Tavastland. It’s a fifty-plus-minute journey of Viking and metal culture that’ll have you banging your head, swimming in oceans of melodic beauty, and barking out anthems of an ancient time never forgotten.
The most unique aspect of Tavastland is that the band’s original vocalist and bassist has returned. But, by the time the debut record, Havulinnaan, landed in 2015, Humö only played a minor role in the band. Years later, he’s back to offer up his bass to the crushing riffs of Havukruunu’s sound. Never a band to dismiss the bassist when writing and mixing releases, Humö displays perhaps the strongest bass performance of Havukruunu’s career. Rumbling like a fucking madman, songs like “De miseriis fennorum” are made even more impactful by his bass performance. That is quite the feat with a band that’s always had stellar dual guitar performances and drum work that’s every bit as meaningful to the band’s success as the other instruments. So, crank up them cans and prepare to be blugdeoned to death by Tavastland.
As with most of the band’s output, Tavastland contains a specific theme in the lyrics and the track layout. Case in point, the opener and closer begin with spoken introductions before the chaos ensues. These two tracks are also the longest and, without a doubt, the album’s epics. The opening track, “Kuolematon laulunhenki,” invokes more Immortal than the rest of the album as an icy, black metal lick kicks into high gear before the inevitable riff changes begin. When it comes, it comes with a dual fretboard display that erupts into a heavy fucking riff supported with a vicious vocal performance. Immediately, you understand the bass influence as Humö tears the fucking roof down. When the Viking choirs arrive, the Bathoryisms creep in and get stronger with each iteration. “De miseriis fennorum” similarly closes the album but with stronger Bathory influences and some old-school metal elements. When it settles in, the punchy vocals emphasize the riffs as voice and instruments work together. One of the coolest transitions comes when the bass abandons the guitars in favor of blastbeating along with the drums. Fucking goosebump inducing. As the song builds, we are treated with old-school Mercyful Fate dueling guitar work and a soothing Viking outro that would make Quorthon smile from ear to ear.
Between these bookmarks, you’ll find even more to love about Tavastland. Be it black metal assaults, impressive solos, melodic passages, Viking choirs, or even thrash, Havukruunu is here to take you for a fucking ride. “Havukruunu ja talvenvarjo” fires out the gates with a bass-heavy, blistering-fast black metal charge that transitions into another surprising twist. This time, it comes with a slick build-up that includes alternating acoustic and distorted guitars that somehow work. As the relentless bass pushes on, another twist arrives in the form of layered growls that hit harder than ever. The title track is another fantastic song with a lot of heart—lyrically and instrumentally. Using the same layered vocal style as the previous track, it tramps along before the envelope cracks open to reveal gorgeous strings and Viking choirs, cementing this beauty into your brain. “Unissakävijä” is another unique piece for its odd combination of thrashy riffs, melodic wonderness, and massive Viking choirs that set up the track before the blitzkrieg hits—though it’s a bit on the long side.
Not only does Tavastland continue to show a band that never disappoints—and continues to get better—but it’s one of their best-produced records. While 2020’s Uinuos syömein sota still gets a lot of spins in the Grier household, the compressed master is my biggest complaint. Now that Havukruunu is with Svart Records, maybe that will change. Because Tavastland is quite dynamic, allowing all the elements I’ve mentioned to rise to the top and slip to the background as needed. In an album completely submersed in killer tracks, some, like “Yönsynty,” aren’t as strong as others. Though it’s still a strong song, it can’t stand up with the rest of the incredible tracks on the album. That said, Tavastland is an AotY contender (again), and fans of the group will love it.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Svart Records
Websites: havukruunu.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/havukruunu
Releases Worldwide: February 28th, 2025
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