When a band has a unique recognizable sound, as a flag or a signature, then this alone is a great accomplishment. For a band like MOONSORROW, this is something that hasn’t and it shouldn’t make them lose ever and “Jumalten Aika” is a proof of that.
Stepping on Quorthon’s legacy for once more, mixing their folk and Viking roots with the black metal sound MOONSORROW, release another great album. Although, this band performs to the extreme, their music is melodic, melancholic and definitely can “travel” someone to unknown lands! Not get misunderstood, MOONSORROW, is a black metal band with folk influences, an explanation needed only to avoid some references that some people may make.
“Black metal the old way, with a modern perspective and MOONSORROW’s folk legacy, exactly where it is needed.”
In “Jumalten Aika”, you won’t find big surprises or changes but that doesn’t make it a usual album. Not even close. I’m extremely amazed by this band’s ability to make long songs that evolve continuously and not sound boring or bad. With tremendous amounts of emotions and pictures. If something has changed after all these fifteen years this band has been releasing music, is how mature they become from album to album, and how better they have gotten their songwriting or even their performance, as a band.
Differences can be found though in “Jumalten Aika” which is darker than the previous one, a bit more folky in some parts and levels up this band’s love for massive, all together choruses. The album grows with in the listener with each listening session, and to my ears it left me with a sweet eagerness to listen it again and again.
To conclude, MOONSORROW, did it again. They created and released a fresh album, with their signature sound, that although the lengthy songs, can’t make someone to get bored. As for the best part? Playing black metal the old way, with a modern perspective and their folk legacy, exactly where it is needed. Truly amazing!