Vorna - Aamunkoi (2023)

Showing their excellent 2019 release, “Sateet palata saavat”, was no fluke, Finland’s Vorna returns with an even more expansive and bombastic release with “Aamunkoi”. The band’s sound is as unique as before, perfectly mixing Folk/Pagan/Black Metal with a hefty dose of atmospheric elements. Featuring over 44 minutes of lush vocal arrangements alongside crafty instrumentation and a solid level of heaviness, this release is quite rich and highly enjoyable.

Opening with “Hiljaisuus ei kestä” a very lush and folky mood is established thanks to a mixture of clean and harsh vocals alongside solid riffing and tight drumming. The band’s melancholic nature starts oozing more profusely as “Harva päättää hyvästeistään”, “Aika pakenee”, and “Valo” come around with their dramatic atmospherics and crafty tempo changes, we even got some Amorphis-esque vibes here and there.

As a major strength, the band’s versatility is quickly showcased in tracks like “Muualle” and “Meri” where more introspective and slower atmospheric passages provide interludes to the distorted guitars and more aggressive sections. With great cohesion and a good degree of originality, “Raja” and “Aamunkoi” are two excellent examples of all different moods and styles the band expertly incorporates in their hypnotic sound.

Overall, “Aamunkoi” is one hell of a multi-faceted release that is full of creativity, perfectly executed via excellent songwriting. Vorna continues to ‘do their own thing’ and create one of the most engaging and diverse sounding styles that we have heard in quite a while. There is a little bit of everything in this release, making it quite versatile and enjoyable for fans of different genres. If you are looking for something highly melancholic and expertly crafted, with a few surprises, look no further and get a copy of this release.

Label: LifeForce Records

Release: April 21st, 2023

Genre: Pagan/Black/Folk Metal

Country: Finland