Release date: 11th November 2021
Maailmantappaja is the third full-length album from Finnish black metal outfit Isengrim and once again, they have given us another strong release. The harsh and acoustic elements of their sound pair up nicely to create a varied and engaging listen that really helps to draw you in.
One of the things I really love about Isengrim’s sound on this album in particular is the vocals. They’re powerful, without drowning out the music, and really help to lead each track as the album progresses. No matter what style the track takes, they are performed to fit into each section perfectly and an approach like this really works well to keep the listener engaged.
There isn’t a particular ‘standout’ song of the album, but that shouldn’t be taken as a bad thing – with Maailmantappaja, it feels a little more like Isengrim have crafted one massive song that happens to be divided up into several distinct sections, and it really works for them. With each twist and turn, it leaves you hungry for what is coming next. From massive guitar lines to succinctly snarled vocals and gentle acoustic moments, each idea has its own distinct place and slots together beautifully.
Maailmantappaja is an album that you’ll keep wanting to come back to. It builds nicely on their previous album Rutjan Koski whilst simultaneously sounding new and refreshing. Another great offering from this talented band.
