OK, Amorphis got rid of their singer. So far nothing new. But, please, why the hell did they have to engage M.A. Numminen as his successor?! One cannot avoid this impression just before Hartes Land completed its first turn in the CD player. But Numminen plays tango, jazz and: mainly comedy! His countrymen with the inexpressible long name do theirs seriously! Even that serious, that Hartes Land (Tough Land) is not the first attempt to walk into the German-speaking area. In 2001, the sinister- looking five-piece released an album called In Frostigen Tälern (In Frosty Valleys). But, hey: how seriously can we take titles like Zeit der steigenden Säfte (Time Of Rising Liquids), or lyrics like „Wenn ganze Nationen auf die Zahl des Teufels setzen, ich suche schwarz an und Trauerkleidung ist der Fetzen“?! (When whole nations count on the devil’s number, I search on black and mourning clothes is the rag). Huh?!
Sorry boys, that’s gnawing at your credibility. May the music be ever native, emotional und gripping. The music is really more than ok. Mostly on this CD there are mid-tempo tracks with melodic to anthem-like guitar-lines over to characteristic staccato-riffs. Also Timo‘s vocal tuning mostly moves in moderate spheres and therefore offers a not too pathetic mood. Everyone, who is not terrified because of the linguistic failures, might like the title track (a hymnic cover-version in best Amorphis-manner) and Nyt On Mies! (Now He’s A Man!) last but not least due to its strong Finnish chorus.
Just the fact, that some colleagues like Tuomas Holopainen (Nightwish) and Eicca Toppinen (Apocalyptica) played along for Hartes Land, proves that TIMO RAUITIAINEN & TRIO NISKALAUKAUS (Trio Neckshot) don’t play in the backyard-league anymore, at least not at home. Apart from that, they simply have this indestructible sympathy-bonus because of their origin. Therefore, we cannot be angry with them. Hartes Land is funny, even involuntarily, but not ridiculous! And, as I said before: In Finnish this may work perfectly. But in German?!