Horna — Askel lähempänä Saatanaa

I’ve always felt that Horna is the weakest of Shatraug’s three main bands. That’s not to say that it’s a bad band. On the contrary, Horna has released some great material throughout the years, but in comparison to Sargeist and Behexen, Horna is often found wanting. I’m not surprised to report that Askel lähempänä Saatanaa, like much of the band’s other material, just doesn’t quite do it for me.

This album, released in 2013, is Horna’s eighth full-length and the first to feature Spellgoth as the vocalist. Instead of utilizing a higher-pitched shriek like his predecessor, Corvus, Spellgoth makes use of a deeper, hoarser rasp. Getting a new vocalist will always upset a few fans, especially when replacing a vocalist who has been a part of the band for years, as is the case here. Spellgoth is a fine vocalist, but I greatly prefer Corvus’s commanding shrieks. Spellgoth’s regular rasps are powerful and fit the music very well, but he makes use of random shouts and yells that come across as unnecessary at best.

Musically, Askel lähempänä Saatanaa does nothing to surprise you. Horna continues to eschew modern influences and remains true to their idiosyncratic sound, firmly rooted in 90’s black metal. Like Horna’s other albums, Askel lähempänä Saatanaa has a production that some would call “rough around the edge.” For me, this is a good thing. Some bands benefit from a clear production, but the majority of black metal sounds best when unpolished. What I’m less than thrilled about is how the drums were mixed. The drums are simply too loud and the cymbals obscure the occasional melodies that snake around the peripheries. Additionally, the album lacks most of the catchier riffs previous releases, which are, for me, the main draw of Shatraug’s projects. That isn’t to say that the album has no awesome riffs, for both “Kärsimyksin vuoltu hänen valittuna äänenään” and “Kunnia herralle, kuninkaalle” contain some sweet guitar work, but there’s a general lack compared to something like Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne.

Other than that though, most of Askel lähempänä Saatanaa is pretty enjoyable if unsurprising. It’s a fairly standard Horna release, which means that other than the new vocals, it’s exactly what you’d expect from Horna. If that sounds like something that you’d enjoy, you probably will. For me though, Horna just doesn’t quite click. I can see why people enjoy them and I admire the direction and musicianship, but the band doesn’t grab me the way that Sargeist or Behexen do. If Horna’s a band you enjoy though, then you’ll want to pick up Askel lähempänä Saatanaa.