Review Summary: Hymns for the night.
One of the Finnish black metal scene's most consistent riff-makers are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, which is an achievement worthy of admiration in itself, but their greatness is further elevated by their exceptionally consistent discography built over the years. Horna represents the absolutely raw, instinctively simple, and melodic side of black metal, and they haven't deviated from this formula on their eleventh album,
Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle, just forged their sound: I can confidently say that this is the most polished and sharpest record of their entire career.
Despite its simplicity, this album is far from monotonous. “Hymni I” breaks the door on the listener with rapid tremolo riffs, slowed only by a shorter melodic arc. The same principle applies to “Hymni IV” and “Hymni V” as well, which make up the second half of the album, also built on fast-paced black metal riffs, growls, and a little touch of dark choirs. The "stylistic monotony" is effectively broken by the duo formed by “Hymni II” & “Hymni III”, which I consider the absolute highlight of the album. The foundation of this is the classic Finnish melodicism, which has led to the birth of many catchy and memorable songs in history. Additionally, I'd like to highlight the well-constructed tempo variations in these two songs. For example, the transition in the middle of “Hymni II”, where the melody shifts from a faster section to a moderately slow riff flow, is very appealing. Similarly, “Hymni III” is a great example, as the tempo builds and intensifies throughout the song: starting with moderately paced, almost punk-like riffs, and it culminates in a fast, blast-beat-driven sprint, creating a truly cathartic experience.
A nice contrast to the album's energy is provided by the closing track, “Kuoleva Lupaus”, which initially seems a bit out of place. As a significant shift in the atmosphere, it ends the album with melancholic, clean vocals accompanied mainly by acoustic guitars. I couldn’t help but be reminded of Ulver’s
Kveldssanger (perhaps that was the intention?) – but I think this was very positive, and it was a nice way to close the album with such a calmer piece. Overall,
Nyx – Hymnejä Yölle is a smashing, and even standout, addition to Horna's already strong discography. The years and experience are clearly there, but the advancement in such clear, sharp, and full sound (in short: excellent studio work) greatly enhances the album's value. Sure, it could have been another raw black metal release like
Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne, but I believe what this album needed was
this more modern, cleaner sound.
