Henkeen ja vereen

While being recorded during different sessions and times, divided to four acts, the album still manages to keep itself together with strong instrumental work, especially from behalf of guitars that knit complex webs with extremely varying riffs. Vocals maintain the same inhuman approach during whole album, and we do even get to hear clear casting couple of times.

I would definitely say that the strength of Förgjord is in genuine guitar riffs that together with raw vocals form strong lines of music to flow into. Guitars effectively create followable melody that leads the listener through the coldness with surprising easiness, without fear of loosing interest to the album, as it is continuously reforming and reshaping. Drums are slight disappointment, as they seem slightly statistic and play just a side part in the album until Act IV, tho without breaking the whole badly.

Act I is definitely strongest part. It has brutal, scratching and drowning guitar riffs that are combined into lustful and hate-filled vocals. Also, the vocals do add a lot; If you happen to be able to read Finnish, I strongly suggest to follow the music with lyrics in the hand. "Minä olen alfa, minä olen omega. Minä olen tie, totuus ja kuolema." (free translation: "I am alpha, I am omega. I am path, truth and death."

Act II sounds a little bit more hasted through. It is a lot less polished than first part, if not caring about the fact that all tracks were recorded with 4-tracker. Distinct images of dialogue between manic depression and then raising back to the top are summoned during jumps in speed and heaviness.

Act III takes back what was lost in anger and speed in Act II. In fact, what comes to brutality and rawness, it probably runs just past Act I. This is excellent for when thinking the whole; Where Act I prepares to coming and Act II is calmness before storm, Act III unleashes the whole speed and strength of Förgjord. But, in truth, I do find that this particular act lacks in riffs and originality what two previous ones had. Sad, because this could have been something unheard of!

Act IV is somewhat different from previous acts. Vocals have had a slight change, and they are now somewhat deeper. Quality seems to have taken a step backwards; I would dare to say that, even while being recorded two years after Act I, artists have walked to paths that they perhaps should not have taken. Guitar is still interesting, but still, the riffs sound less genuine than they were in earlier acts. But this might be intentional as drums take a lot back what they did not earlier claim. The small fills and managing to keep their own path while guitar goes to different ways create a very different atmosphere to this act and, because of this, album indeed does not get boring easily!

In overall, I'd say that this is definitely something that everyone should get who are able to enjoy cold northern black metal! Guitar riffs are mostly original and interesting, vocals are raw and they fit the music while both vocals and drums go interesting development during the album. Big bonus is if you're able to read Finnish, as the lyrics are, especially in Act I, very successful and mostly concentrating around individualism, death and despair of chaos that is chainless human mind!