If you read
a title like Terast Mis Hangund Me Hinge 10218 (Steel
frozen in our heart) you might think of a hanger-on band from
Finland. You might think, but you should not. In this case we
deal with the re-released and enhanced debut record of three guys
from Estonia known as METSATÖLL, bethinking themselves
on their ancestors, the Rus, the way as their mates Skyforger
do. So this band places some values on the old magic rite of „rune-singing“.
To get in touch with it, try the first part of Metsanviha 2
before the song starts to get harder. A song, dominated by vocals
and one drum, which reminds to slower tracks from Korpiklaani.
Certainly the rest of the record is more what we call metal. The
melodies appear in the typical pagan stile and the chosen instruments
(e.g. flute) are nothing new either, known from other bands like
XIV Dark Centuries or Eluveitie. Only the „ho,ho,ho“
chants, which are everywhere, are new in that amount. Sometimes
they make you believe that Santa comes from Estonia. But this
is the only small disturbing factor on this record, which symptomatically
begins with such an intro. The rest is not hot as hell but a good
alternation to the German, English and Swedish stuff of the famous
bands. Especially Hundiraev reveals as a goody, as well
as Oma Laulu Ei Leia Ma Üles. But what they want to
tell us by that will stay mystery.