Customer Reviews

Voimasta Ja Kunniasta

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Ok, you're wondering what the Hell is Moonsorrow. They are in my estimation the pre-eminent Viking Metal band. Ok, now you're wondering what the Hell Viking Metal is. Viking metal is a fairly recent phenomenon, say five years, which is an offshoot of Deathmetal which combines elements of Symphonic metal with choirs, viking folk music and melodies, no kidding and it's fabulous!

Despite the ominous trappings, I find Moonsorrow to be uplifting and inspiring. Maybe I was a Viking warrior in a past life. Their music, with the exception of the symphony is what you might expect a group of warriors to sing around some proverbial campfire. Yes, the lead singer and only the lead singer has a raspy voice and yes, he does scream on occasion but these guys are Vikings for Christ sakes, if they can't get rowdy, Who the hell can, but, the background vocals are clean as a whistle.

Ok, let's get back to the music, shall we? Well, I can't really describe the music, except to say it's like the son of Enya and Wolfman is singing/growling while The Village People sing in the background/chorus' and all the while Lawrence Welk's orchestra plays in the background (not really). so, I'll describe(not counting the orchestra) all the instruments that are used: rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards, accordion, mouth harp, thunder percussion, timpani, 12-string, bass, vocals, choir, handclapping and sound effects ie. sounds of clanking blades, horse neighing and exclamations of swearing Vikings.

Here are some sample lyrics from our viking brutes (I think these guys are really pussycats);

WARRIOR'S GRAVE

"Amongst such ravage he arrived,
to a village once so calm.
Rooftops glowing the colours of flame
and the blood of the beloved on the ground.

Such anger did it raise to echo through all skies.
To beyond so many may have travelled
but not yet they were to take him along.

'though gathering his forces from those nearly defeated,
alone it was his rage that shook the cruel enemy.
Hundreds of corpses he trampled underfoot,
his axe on their necks as a display of mercy.

"Blades of your swords shall be set free,
iron so cold shall now redden!
Grant them a glimpse of your hatred,
drown them into the streams of gore!"

"Behind your shields you shall now hide,
all you cowards better flee!
Should you past us desire to walk,
our last man standing you must strike to the ground!""

All the songs(except the first) are long and pretty much equal but I'll try to describe a the last two.

"Aurinko Ja Kuu" (The Sun and the Moon) with its lifting choirs and epic ending is particularly memorable. Bombastic comes to mind, this song is lush, loud and oh, so catchy. It is a massively instrumental song where raspy vocals are relegated to the background. Not so with the choirs and orchestration which is right up front. Guitars and percussion also play a pre-eminent part in this song, which is somewhat of an anthem and as I mentioned the the last 90 seconds are even better.

"Sankaritarina." (Warriors Tale) You gotta hear this to believe it. This Epic song is really more like a soundtrack from a Historical film, such as Braveheart, Gladiator or even Mists of Avalon, it starts fairly slow and monumental, invoking images of ancient settlements situated on the misty shores of a great lake slowly picking up steam, and the melodies, as with the entire album are incredible. This a song you may want to play over and over.

Band Members

Henri Urponpoika Sorvali
- rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards, accordion, mouth harp, backing vocals, handclaps, choir -

Ville Seponpoika Sorvali
- bass, vocals, handclaps, choir -

Baron Tarwonen
- thunder percussion, timpani, 12-string, backing vocals, handclaps, choir -

Mitja Harvilahti
- lead and rhythm guitars, handclaps, choir -

Lord Eurén
- live keyboards

Conclusion

Ok , If I were a salesman, this where I would try to close the deal, but I'm not a salesman and I don't care if you buy or borrow or download Moonsorrow and if you are happy with your Radiohead or whatever else you're into and you never hear Moonsorrow what's the loss?

Probably nothing but I'm of the mind that I discovered these guys and they were great, so their must be some other great guys. I can't let any great guys go unheard. I've got to hear em all and yes, I go through a lot of lousy guys, White Stripes come to mind.

Now I know that this music isn't for everybody and I certainly don't want you to buy something you won't like but then again life is full of chances.

This is truly one of the best Viking Metal releases by a group of accomplished musicians! Moonsorrow get just the right mixture of epic/medieval emotion with hard-hitting aggressive metal. A definite Bathory influence is shown but Moonsorrow has their own unique style. Keyboards are prominant but do not in any way drown out other elements, nor do they soften the sound. The keyboards, along with handclapping, mouth harp and acoustic additions, add to the folkish atmosphere of the music. An intro and instrumental interlude are added, giving the record a thematic and musical connectedness and wholeness.
Ville Sorvali is a great lyricist with both aggression and passion for what he sings about. Other elements such as a 'Viking choir' are added. All lyrics are in Finnish but translations are provided. Interesting hearing part of the Havamal recited in Finnish! Lyrics are intelligent, bringing alive the Viking past with a thought of how the ancient ideals still affect us today. A musical statement about connection with the ancient ones.

Moonsorrow is a band that blends black metal with folk music and other epic elements.
The vocals are pretty harsh on this album unlike Sunden Uni. Some times he sounds like an animal screetching out sounds and not words but that's partly because the lyrics are in Finnish. They also have some clean vocals and have clean choruses.
The only time the vocals get annoying is on the last track because it has this great epic and beautiful sound and the vocals seem to ruin it but I learned to ignore it. Another thing that bothers me are the occasionaly rare guitar solo's. I believe that guitar solos's and folk metal just don't go together for some reason.
Most of the songs are long with the shortest one being a little over 7 minutes. Each song has so much from headbangin' parts to folksy parts to epic parts that just leave you in awe.
If you like black/folk/epic metal and you have time to listen to 7 minute long songs then you should get this cd.

This Album is just great, although it's a bit different than Suden Uni. The mixture of black metal and folkish music is just magnificent! The last song about Havamal is wonderful!

I totally recommend this album!

If you're not already a fan of folk metal then this is the perfect introduction to the style. These guys can take really simple ideas and turn them into massively epic movements. The keyboards really add an intense atmosphere, giving the album more of a thunderous march, rather than an angry charge.

Far be it from a music aficionado like me to turn down anything metal... I bought this disc b/c of a review here that complained of a "mouth harp" and "50's hand-clapping."

Okay... I have a broad cd collection... everything from new-age, to techo, to industrial, to punk groups like "Gogol Bordello." I especially like eastern european bands as they mix in traditional instruments much more often... yeah, including accordion...

That's what we have here folks...

If you like extreme metal; and are open-minded; you do yourself one of the greatest disservices of music that one can possibly do to oneself if you WRITE THIS ONE OFF.

I need to qualify that...

Well, I've enjoyed viking metal since a buddy of mine showed me Mithotyn a couple years ago. Low quality, low production... but still very folksy. (Those guys now are the power-metal band "Falconer.")

This band I found out about from the liner notes in a Woods of Ypres album... "Vildes Luku," to be exact. A masterpiece, if I do say so...

But this one is so epic it's hard not to appreciate it... I'm reminded at times of the old SNES/TG-16 game "Wanderers from Ys III," when the flutes come in. Hey, I told you--you need to be an open-minded metalhead to appreciate this disc.

Anyone who hates this disc for the folksy elements does so because they have no clue about the folk-metal movement in Finland. (Korpiklaani, Ensiferum, Wintersun...)

YEA this album is a must(for each melodic metal fan).
Moonsorrow play a mix of black
metal with incredibles viking melodies, all in a epical context
this guys show something new, its not a predictable band
its original, well gifted of technique.
suchhhhh a banddd guysss

Nothing like having tight, excellent musicianship, pleasing melodies, and provocative musical development ruined by screeching, roaring vocals. If you like death metal you'll like this album, but for those who prefer their metal sung clean there's not a track that isn't personified by the persistent roar of Uruk-hai growling in place of the kind of vocal choruses that would really give the band's music its epic magnificence. I recognize that this is a matter of taste and, much as I've tried, I just can't get past growling, roaring, rasping vocalisms, and I wish I would have read a review like this to let me know what I would be getting into when I bought this album. Much as I love the guitar interplay and musical development, my enjoyment of this band is given a hefty axe by their grunting vocal style. No thanks.

This album, as a comparison to thier first, is much slower, better-produced, more mainstream in it's song construction and riffage, and takes leaps at strange attempts at innovation including heavy use of a mouth harp and even a hand-clap track like in some 50's pop song. Pretty much a let-down.