Org

Estonian pagan black metal act, Sõjaruun, released their first full length album, entitled “Org”, midway through 2009. "Org" combines the somewhat rustic sound of many Baltic and eastern European black metal acts with the somewhat folk-laden style of many pagan metal acts. Boasting pretty much the entire Estonian metal scene, the members of Sõjaruun have released great albums with several other prominent acts from the area. With a lot of bands attempting this style, it's difficult for a group to find an interesting niche to help set them apart.

"Org" is a fairly muddy and bass heavy exercise in the style. Unlike the following EP, "Talv", this album sticks with a fairly safe, mid-paced delivery throughout the entire album. There are a few of the thrashy riffs and restrained drum lines that made “Talv” so enjoyable, but the majority of the album sees Sõjaruun staying within the confines of black metal and only selectively showcasing a few chunky palm muted power chords during tempo changes. The drums are fast and cymbal heavy, with the double bass rarely slowing down. The bass is very thick and, although slightly buried, provides a humongous wall of low end to the album, only broken when the band ventures into solely acoustic pieces. Tracks like "Ürgne" showcase acoustic guitar lines while Thon blasts away behind the kit and the bass flails away like a runaway truck. "Piksevägi" shows the band utilizing slow and plodding bass lines and selective power chords forming a very doomy and gritty atmosphere, while Thon, once again, blasts away behind the drum kit. The track does build into an intense trem picked guitar line with a thrashy, cymbal heavy drum beat, which is probably the catchiest this album gets. The band seems to be most confident during the catchy sections with thrashy undercurrents, such as the main riff on "Sõjasajatus" and on the closing track "Älves". Folky elements are present, but they serve as minor elements rather than a huge focal point. The thrasy guitar riifs on "Sõjasajatus" and "Lõpu Hämaruses" carry the rhythm of the songs while simplistic acoustic guitar lines follow the timing of the song, adding an extremely organic sound to the tracks. Rather than a lot of wanky instruments, acoustic guitars seem to bring a lot of the folk melodies into play. The vocals are a gruff and hoarse shout, and while less angry than on "Talv", that lies somewhere in the mid-range territory and is much cleaner and less accented than most Baltic acts.

The folk instrumentation and elements may not be as in your face as most pagan black metal acts, but Sõjaruun is able to bring forth these pieces with more class than most. Like I said, the band sounds best with thrashy riffs and somewhat restrained drumming, something that they would capitalize on with the following EP. This is still a solid release and a great representation of the Estonian black metal scene. If Sõjaruun keeps at it, they will be a force to be reckoned with in pagan metal circles.

Written for The Metal Observer:
http://www.metal-observer.com/

The debut by Sõjaruun definitely caught my attention. They had a great folkish touch to their black metal that impressed. But since it was just an EP and contained only three tracks it was difficult to tell whether or not it would hold up on the long run. Here they are with their first fullength, and by the opening track the first time around I had a hunch I was in for something great.

Yup, "Ühe teekonna algus" is one hell of an opener. They skillfully blend nature samples with atmospheric folk inspired black metal, and it really sets the tone for the remainder of the album. It does so despite the fact that it doesn’t really sound a whole lot like the rest of the material, but the pagan atmosphere is present throughout its entirety. But musically it is quite diverse, with each track clearly differentiating itself. It’s evident this group of musicians has tons of ideas they want to get across, and they do so without it getting messy (you know, sometimes too many ideas will just ruin it). Take for instance the sudden appearance of an acoustic guitar in "Piksevägi", the energetic tempo changes in "Haldjad" (which by the way starts off with a real heavy hitter of a riff) or the sudden disappearance of guitar in "Ürgne"; leaving the bass to do all the work with the assistance of a keyboard. Don’t be alarmed by that last part, however. The keyboard use is minimalistic, if not even non-existent throughout the rest of the album.

But the main bulk is still harsh melodic black metal. There are tons of great guitar lines, fantastic drum work and a wicked bass that is let to shine on occasions. For the most of the time the tempo is rather fast, with the fast drumming that goes with it, but it never reaches blasting. The tempo changes keep it highly interesting and stops it from getting stuck in a rut. The musicianship is really masterful, and it sounds extremely thought-through with all its acoustic passages and whatnot. This is presented in a vivid sound that complements the tunes to perfection, much more powerful than the self-titled predecessor. And I haven’t even mentioned the vocals; one of the most powerful aspects of the album. This man’s voice has a very harsh and raspy tone, yet it fits the melodic touch to perfection. Although I don’t understand a word of it, the use of their native tongue for lyrics adds to atmosphere.

I hope it doesn’t come off as just empty praise, ‘cause it feels like I’ve done nothing but praise the album. But in all honesty I just can’t find anything to remark on. If Sõjaruun keeps this up they’re gonna become a clear contender to Odal for the spot of favourite pagan black metal acts. Org is a great album and I definitely recommend everyone to check it out. I leave you with these words; I do believe myself to even be hearing a mouth harp.

Originally written for http://www.mylastchapter.net