Review Summary: Were Satan to lure you into Hell, entrancing you every step of the way, this is the only thing you would hear.
Ajattara is a band not well known but one that combines the elements of so many bands that are.
Celtic Frost,
Agalloch,
Katatonia,
Forgotten Tomb, and
Empyrium all come to mind upon listening to Ajattara. Taking that into consideration, along with the fact that they're yet another talented band from Finland and the side project of Pasi "Ruoja" Koskinen, one might expect a spectacular album.
Itse, Ajattara's first full length debut, isn't quite
that album, but it is one that should not be overlooked.
Were someone to say that it is difficult to put this album into any one genre, that would be an understatement. At times,
Itse is depressing, synth-tinged Doom metal and at others, ravaging riff-fueled Black metal. Pasi's unnerving vocals serve well this marriage of metal's two darkest genres (hence, their improvised classification as "dark" metal), primarily due to the fact that he sings the entire album in Finnish. The result is, quite possibly, the most nefarious, damnable music known to man.
The album begins with
Yhdreksas, an atmospheric intro track with a surprisingly good mix of clean and growling vocals that foreshadows the Hell in which you will soon be immersed. The tempo changes substantially with
Verivalta, an aggressive song that begins with some riffs reminiscent of early
Melechesh with eerie, well-placed synths and malevolent vocals. It is a track that sets the pace for the majority of the album.
Musta Aurinko, however, slows the tempo yet again with haunting keyboards and onerous, sluggish riffs. This is one of two points on the album where Pasi's voice is at its best.
If one song could summarize
Itse, it would be the fourth track,
Kuolevan Rukuos. While it is not necessarily the best song, it encompasses all that Ajattara attempts to accomplish in
Itse. It is a mid-tempo track, kept on pace with crushing, rythmic guitars, ghoulish keyboards, sinister vocals, and resonant drums.
Agras, one of the highlights of
Itse, is the most demonic track of the album. It begins with a nightmarish synth intro supported by a dooming drum beat. When the guitars enter, Pasi commences the most unholy growling imaginable and it is as though Satan, himself, is orchestrating the apocalypse through a single voice. A pleasant surprise in
Agras presents itself in the form of the beautiful,
Katatonia-esque clean vocal choruses over gloomy, yet calming guitars. It is an unexpected, but necessary break from Pasi's grating vocals.
The album continues with
Murhamiesi, a fluid, melodic track ultimately ruined by misplaced synths and chorus riffs that seem forced.
Tulessa makes the listener understand that nothing they have heard, up to that point, was even remotely depressing. It is a slow to mid tempo song guided by funereal synths and mournful growls, certainly one of the best doom metal moments of the album.
Manan Lapset is a track whose primary influence is black metal. It is, however, very similar to
Murhamiesi in terms of being a good song spoiled by out of place (and downright annoying) synths.
Rajan Takaa is one of the better tracks that exemplifies how seamlessly
Ajattara can intertwine black metal and doom metal. It starts out with crushing, headbangable riffs and very appropriate keyboard passages that, together, create the most direful aura of the album.
Itse concludes with
Vihan Musta Tanssi, an odd, strictly ambient track completely devoid of everything but faint vocals and an alien-like mood.
Only one listen through is necessary for one to realize that the album constantly switches off between faster and slower tracks. There are some surprises, however, such as the soft vocal passages and the stunning melodies. While the song structures are simple (for the most part), the album does not become monotonous. The chilling vocals and astral synth tones keep the album's atmosphere where it should be, while the guitars and drums provide some variety.
Recommended Tracks
Verivalta
Musta Aurinko
Agras
Rajan Takaa
