Weekly Spotlight, Week 10 / 2025

We got death and darkness in different forms this week, from Havukruunu, Vacuous, Obrij, dead undying and Sepulchral Curse.

Havukruunu – Tavastland

Genre: Black/heavy metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 4.5/5

Country of origin: Finland

This being a Finnish project, it's always tempting to tack the "folk"-label on there, but the primary direction of Havukruunu is definitely black metal with an epic heavy metal alter ego. It's never serious, but also never really silly, instead leaning into the trotting, head-held-high, shield-beating rhythms whenever the feel has been bleak and cold for long enough. But don't get the idea that this is something along the lines of Ensiferum's bold, melodic, extreme-metal-for-the masses. It seems to come from a place of genuine musical inspiration and appreciation, and the mood goes where it's needed in order to tell the story. Whether that be a hailstorm of sharp aggression or solo-happy, ride-across-the-hills, high-spirit stuff. It's a varied experience that never breaks cohesion and keeps you immersed until the last second.

Highlights: "Tavastland" and "De miseriis Fennorum"

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Vacuous – In His Blood

Genre: Death metal

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 4/5

Country of origin: England

There's a place you can go musically, that potentially works quite well for the dirtier and more fiendish spectrum of metal, where everything doesn't have to fit together perfectly well, and this becomes part of the point. Vacuous exists in this slightly demented, slightly listener-hostile place, where the energy of the music seems to go in whatever direction it pleases. Which is more often than not some avenue of attack, bounding along underground corridors like some hungry, sewer-dwelling predator. But it does stop to pause every now and then, reflecting on the harshness of life and taking a peak above the surface. These alternating approaches take the form of doom, punk and grind/hardcore influences. They are never allowed in the driving seat for long, but add flavor, and break up the flow in an expansive way.

Highlights: "Stress Positions" and "Flesh Parade"

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Obrij – Joseph

Genre: Death metal/hardcore

Subjective rating: 4/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: Ukraine

Initially, this Ukrainian project presents as pure, crunchy Scandinavian death metal, and then quickly reveals a more agile, stomping, coarse hardcore side. The riffs always remain the same tone and heaviness, and there are certainly sections of pure death metal brutality. But it's not interested in going to a macabre, beyond-reality sort of gore-obsessed place, instead taking on a stark bitterness, which charts a more nihilistic and spiteful direction. The rhythms are easy to get into, and will definitely deliver the expected dose of savagery, but can get a bit similar on a few tracks. It sure gets my blood boiling, though.

Highlights: "The Garden of Gethsemane" and "Black Echelons"

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Dead Undying – For Life For Death

Genre: Industrial/nu metal

Subjective rating: 3.5/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: Finland

Sure, there's a certain portion of the metal fanbase that will dive out the window at the mere mention of something like an industrial and nu metal combo, even if I'd have tacked on the "death metal" in the description. Their loss. This album takes its tone from dark nu- and alternative metal, then adds on industrial, repetitive rhythms, ups the brutality to near-death metal heights (depths?) and sprinkles a few, dry groove metal riff sections in here and there. This is not a conceptually deep or particularly advanced album, but it hits a nerve, and seems an excellent foundation on which to build. It's confident, dark and just different enough that it should be allowed the momentum to steamroll on doing its own thing.

Highlights: "Flow of Death"

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Sepulchral Curse – Crimson Moon Evocations

Genre: Death/melodic black metal

Subjective rating: 3.5/5

Objective rating: 3.5/5

Country of origin: Finland

Whenever the Finns decide to involve melody in whatever form of metal they're undertaking, it's easy to assume something extravagant, heavily folk-inspired and probably synth-based that takes the overall mood in a distinctly playful and larger-than life direction. Sepulchral Curse succeed in traveling from their earth-shaking, no-nonsense death metal core to a place where melodic guitar solos and soaring riffs can exist, without making it feel like a deviation. It's chilly and unfriendly, but also elevates the music out of the murky depths and into the misty night sky. Not too far removed from old school melodeath, but certainly whipped into more modern day shape. It probably won't surprise you, but it also won't let you down.

Highlight: "The Locust Scar"