My respect for one man band projects just keep on growing and growing by the day, especially when I come across releases as brilliant as Vihan Messu’s latest offering. Kuolema will let you feel new feelings, and will let the old feelings feel like you weren’t the only one experiencing them. Kuolema, the Finnish word for Death, is an apt title for this album.

The album starts off with Kuolema, osa 1. It immediately reminded me of the feeling of Burzum‘s Filosofem. Simple, yet powerful riffs give you an immense feeling of sadness and impending gloom. The constant drumming in it will also make you aware of all this darkness around you.

Kuolema, osa 2 makes sure to follow on the first track with it’s heavy darkness. In this track, the melody will let you realize that depression can be carried over in sound – and with that you don’t even need any words. The depressive feelings in this is not what I will call bad in a traditional sense of depression, but rather uplifting. A form of beautiful melancholy, in the way that only Finnish people can create it.

Every single track on this album continues to carry on with this theme of beautiful melancholy. Kuolema, osa 3 has to be my favourite track on this entire album. It stays true to the original idea of one man Black Metal, piercing tremolo picked riffs cut right through you, leaving you begging for more. The tempo of the song also differs from section to section – and this makes it even more incredible.

I feel like I need to be raving about every single track on this album. It has really taken a hold on me. Kuolema, osa 4 is one of those tracks that I can just listen to over and over again. I feel an incredible feeling of sadness while listening to it, but it also soothes me unlike anything else I have experienced before.

Kuolema, osa 6 and Kuolema, osa 7 feels like they work together to end this album off. Kuolema, osa 6 is a bit more on the aggressive side in my opinion with plenty of double bass and riffs that will melt your face off. When it reaches Kuolem, osa 7 at first, the intensity just continues. Up until the very end, the dark feelings stay present in this album.

In Conclusion –

This album is one that I feel was very necessary for me to listen to. Even though it is just an instrumental album, the music is filled to the brim with emotion and that incredible melancholy. Artists like this deserve a lot more respect and success than they get. Vihan Messu surely made a big impact on me with this album.

Label:

Unsigned

Track List:

1. Kuolema, osa 1
2. Kuolema, osa 2
3. Kuolema, osa 3
4. Kuolema, osa 4
5. Kuolema, osa 5
6. Kuolema, osa 6
7. Kuolema, osa 7

Line-Up:

Henri Raekallio – All instruments