Ajattara - Äpäre

*=Staff's pick	Hurmasta* Raato Säälin Koira Lautuma* Eksyneet* Hirsipuulintu* Tahtomattaan Syntynyt Itse Koito Syntyni

Genre	Black Metal	Ruoja	Vocals
Tracks	10	Ruoja	Guitar
Runningtime	32 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Spikefarm Records	Atoni	Bass
Release	22 March 2006	Malakias III	Drums
Country	Finland	Ruoja	Keyboards
Similar artists	---

Few finnish bands that use their own language in order to convince us with their music have in my opinion been successful, but the band Ajattara is an exception. I have been convinced of the capability of this band since the Tyhjyys album from 2004. Their latest blasphemy, Äpäre seems to be filled with the same nice ingredients like the previous album. Cold, dark and low tempo black metal performed in heaviest way.

Äpäre show that the grim voice and vocals from Ruoja still dominate the sound together with tremendous heavy riffing in the rhythm sections combined with a quite modest keyboard. The sound seems to have developed a bit since last time, at that time I draw parallels to the Ceremony Of Opposites album by Samael. This time I would say that they have followed the line with a sound more similar to the Passage album, minus the industrial atmosphere. Even though there are some sampled parts to be find on this album, I wouldn't consider Ajattara as anything else than metal. The foundation follows the structure of metal in the song building aspects, and what I mean is that the sound has been a bit polished and refined. Otherwise there aren't much to be surprised about and that's a good thing. Äpäre, compared to Tyhjyys, sounds like a natural step for the band to take.

Songs to recommend are the heavy and mighty Eksyneet, Hurmasta and the cursed tunes from Lautuma. If there is any problem concerning Ajattara it must be that it sometimes tends to be a bit to much transportation in the music. Parts and sections that doesn't seem to fill a certain purpose, but otherwise it is rather good production and composing. It is difficult to say if Äpäre is a better album than Tyhjyys. Some parts certainly are but all in all it's a quite similar album from a band that doesn't have any difficulties to catch my attention.