Search - Moonsorrow :: Kivenkantaja

Viking Folk Metal by MOONSORROW

Mr D. | Cave Creek, Az United States | 02/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know if I can think of a band that has a bigger sound than Moonsorrow, maybe Blind Guardian, not because their music is similar it isn't. Their sounds are both larger than life. What the Hell am I talking about? I don't really know. Maybe it's the kind of music you could associate with a epic movie. Their songs are certainly epic. Kivenkantaja is Moonsorrow's latest release and while 2003, for me, was a year of disappointing followups, this did not disappoint. Kivenkantaja, which means Stonebearer is another majestic recording in the same vein as their first two releases featuring long extravagant, bombastic, symphonic metal music based on Viking folklore delivered with a ferocity which would make Christofer Johnsson (Therion) envious and when the warriors join in on the chorus's it's magnificent. Moonsorrow plays Viking Metal which is loosely termed as a sub genre of Black/Death Metal. I'll tell you right now if this were truly like Death Metal you wouldn't catch me writing about it. I like to think of it as Life Metal because it's so full of life. There are several other Viking Metal bands. This and Finntroll are the only ones I like. Now, if you're waiting for me to describe the music, good luck. I could easier describe a magnificent sunset. The music is somewhat homogenous but each song is quite different. It has wildly variety tempos and intensities. "Rauniolla" (meaning "At The Ruins") starts with some ghostly background voices, then all Hell breaks loose with heavy bass percussion leading the explosion into an immensely epic and melodic song with measured tempo and both excellent clear and also harsh vocals, plus great choirs and the typically folkish melodies. An outstandingly brilliant opener. Almost fourteen minutes long, seems like four. "Unohduksen Lapsi" ("Child Of Oblivion") lookout, this ones deadly with it's fast extra loud infectious beat and raspy vocals and great atmospheric heaviness that surrounds beautiful melodies and if anybody ever tells you that keyboards, accordion and mouth harp can't enhance a song and add to the quality and atmosphere, tell them to check this out. "Jumalten Kaupunki/Tuhatvuotinen Perintö" ("City Of The Gods/Legacy Of A Thousand Years") Here we go again with the big sound featuring heavy percussion, huge choirs plus the accordion, some fiddle and arpeggios, astounding! "Kivenkantaja" Another massive sound with layer and layer of music and those drums are magnificent, here and throughout. Also included are the accordion, mouth harp, harmonium and fiddle to biggest possible effect Tuulen Tytär/Soturin Tie" ("Daughter Of The Wind/The Way Of A Warrior") is introduced purely acoustic, with the fiddle, about a three minute interlude from the Bombast and then Boom, the Drums, the wonderful drums and electric guitars are back in force along with the choirs for about three more minutes, before going to a fantastic ethereal sound for a minute, then everything is back. I love IT!!!!!! "Matkan Lopussa" ("At The Journey's End") an accordion lead then acoustic, while a subdued heavy drum beat reminds one of explosions in the background, with Petra Lindberg as lead singer, plus the choir, a traditional, slow Finnish folk song. Conclusion: Other than the big sound I tried to describe, this music almost seems like some kind of Scandinavian Hoe Down, it's really incredible. There are other practitioners of Viking Metal but they don't sound much like Moonsorrow, because of their big orchestral sound choirs and that the music is based on folklore. In Short Moonsorrow is an invigorating musical experience. If this don't get your juices flowing, you're DEAD."

I wonder if they play this in Heaven

Der Hammer des Kuchens | Kalifornia | 09/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is by far the best moonsorrow cd of all, it makes all their earlier ones look like trash. If you were going to get only one of their cd's then it should be this one. On this album they have a great epic sound throughout which is just amazing. The metal and folk elements are still there but they were somehow able to harness them to make this album very epic, at least in my opinion. All the songs seem to start out slow and acoustic and then pick up pace and end just as they began until the next song starts.

The first track is the best by far. It features clean and harsh vocals and a great chorus, probaly their best one. Towards the end it slows and and moves to the second song. This song is my least favorite but it's still good.

The third song is my second favorite because it has a great energenic feel to it and everytime I listen to it I feel like going out on a viking raid or something.

Songs 4 and 5 seem to be the most folksy on the album. They both contain quite a bit of violin and accordion. Song 4 has harsh vocals,clean volcals and a chorus. Song 5 is mostly instrumental ,with the first 3 minutes being acoustic, and their is only a little folk singing and a chorus.

The last track is purely a slow folk song. It only uses acoustic instruments and it features a female singer with a chorus. This song is the slowest one but it has a hauntingly beautiful sound to it.

If you like black/ folk/ epic metal or just epic music in general then you should get this cd."

Great, but different!

Arash | Sweden | 05/31/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album, the latest moonsorrow, is great, although a bit different from the earlier. Ville Sorvali's is more like the usual black-metal singers and the music doesn't include the folkish music as much a Suden Uni and Voimasta Ja Kunniasta.
Still this is a wonderful album.Recommended songs: Unohduksen Lapsim, Kivenkantaja, Jumalten Kaupunki"