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This one came out of nowhere (or Finland, really). Havukruunu (roughly translated to "Coniferous Crown") are a Finnish hand working their second album of Pagan Black Metal deeply influenced by bands like Moonsorrow. I had heard this was good, but I was unprepared for just how excellent it really is.

Kelle Surut Soi ("For Whom the Sorrows Sing") is a massive work of powerful atmosphere, ruthless heaviness, and addictive folk-fueled riffage that smokes like molten steel. Like Moonsorrow, all the song titles and lyrics are in Finnish, but also like Moonsorrow, that does not detract from the slayage on display here. The guitar sound is a punishing blast of muscular crushing, and the songwriting is epic, weaving through twists and turns that keep surprising you, but never setting up anything it does not deliver on. This is just a deeply enjoyable and satisfying album by any measure.