• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Tomb of Finland (note: nothing to do with the famous Finnish gay icon Tom of Finland, as far as I know) chose death under an unholy moon back in 2009, and after letting their coffins decay below the green fields for a good while, the worms got unleashed. The recording line-up of the band features some current and ex-key members of some other known Finnish acts (Wolfheart, Dawn of Relic, Cartilage, etc.), so expect no rookies on the field here at all.

Below the Green is the title of Tomb of Finland's debut album, containing nine songs of pretty out of the ordinary and unique mixture of Black, Death and Doom Metal. The main emphasis is clearly on both Black and Death Metal, even if they are no strangers to Doom Metal either, which as its own genre also gets to play a little side role on the record. Overall, there's a very oppressive, depressive, cold and even somewhat melancholic feel to the songs on Below the Green, which is where they have done absolutely a great job, conjuring up some essential elements to obtain overall a dreadful sound. There's a really strong musicianship involved with the band – and somehow they also remind me of early Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, but with a more blackened, twisted and modern musical approach. I really like this band a lot. They are certainly one of the promising new names coming out from the cold and damp soil of Finland, managing to differ from the other bands. There's nothing happy or hope-arousing in their sound; it's like everything their music is meant to touch upon either withers or dies away.

Saying Below the Green is just a promising album would be kind of an understatement. But check it out yourself and be the judge.