Tag: von hertzen brothers

This is the VHB’s 8th release that they have beautifully created and let loose upon the world. It’s very hard to put the band in a nice little box saying this is what they are, but they cover so many vibes and styles that make it so hard to pigeonhole. I think for the sake of this little review of their awesome musical child, I will put them in the box of Prog. They create so much emotion and positive energy in everything that they do, that I find them my go-to band for musical therapy.

Day Of Reckoning is a wonderful opening track full of proggy goodness. The vocal harmonies are just delightful and I love the uptempo groove. Blue Forest clocks in at over 9 minutes, and starts with an isolated delicate vocal with soundscape keys and builds with epic harmonies, until we reach a crescendo with the band firing on all cylinders. The Promise has a very eerie intro with a very evil sounding acoustic guitar. The vocal melody is just sublime, and this is a goosebump moment for me. The vocal line and melody of All Of A Sudden You’re Gone is just beautiful and conjures up many emotions. This song almost feels like a folk tune from days past. Peace Patrol has a very nineties indie vibe to the intro and a hint of middle eastern vibes – I love the sax solo in the middle section.

They always manage to throw up something strange and endearing, and Pirates Of Raseborgian is this album’s offering. This track has a very Viking feel to the melody and hook. Anvil has a basic acoustic under groove, but the vocal and harmonies are just incredible – CSNY springs to mind. Elbowed starts almost like a show tune, and the vocal feels almost religious. Northern Lights starts off the final side, and the ambient keys and sounds actually feel as though you are standing watching the lights themselves, then a pulse bass line kicks – and jeez – what a great tune. Soderskar is a beautiful acoustic piece with great harmonies. The album closes out with Disappear Here, and the opening squeeze box sounds like a sea shanty lullaby.

My favourite track is All Of A Sudden You’re Gone as the vocals and harmonies are so moving. A truly great and original band – you definitely need this album in your life.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

I can guarantee that there is no other band around at the moment like Finland’s Von Hertzen Brothers. They make the most beautiful and thought provoking music around today, and the word Prog does not do them justice – they are way more than that. They have this knack of creating huge soundscapes within the stories they tell. The band have a rich history in their native Finland. All three brothers were in established bands before they got together in 2000 to form The VHB’s.

The opening title track is 12 minutes of unbelievable awesomeness, which I think is about freedom and the joy it brings, and how futile war is. An incredible song that travels many paths, but the melody remains high and is a driving force throughout the song. What an opening! To The End Of The World has a great heavy choppy riff with an almost fusion feel, but somehow the melody just sits perfectly on top. The Arsonist is a straight up rock song – well as close as the VHB’s get to one anyway. It still has a choppy drum groove and the verse and chorus are fantastic. Jerusalem starts with a very military drum pattern, and again, the melody and hook are just superb and have a very emotive feel. Frozen Butterflies is almost power pop in its delivery, and I just adore the melody and harmony. Superb track. Who Are You closes out the first disc and is a stripped back acoustic piece complete with strings. They are so good at doing this type of song as they have so much feel for the music.

Blindsight is a quite a strange track as it seems to be a mix of a good old rock song with a big riff, and then it has an almost Celtic feel to it. Long Lost Sailor is played at a gallop and has an almost indie vibe – the melody again is just superb. Wanderlust follows and is a bare bones song with what sounds like strings and a guitar, and is quite a fragile sounding song. Side 4 here we come with Beyond The Storm. This was the original last song of the album and it feels like an old lament on returning from conflict. I’ll Make It Up To You and New Terrain are bonus tracks for the vinyl, and you have to wonder how you leave songs as good as this from an album.

The VHB’s are such an amazing band. They deserve to be heard by as many people as possible. I strongly suggest you go out and buy, not just this album, but their entire catalogue, and then you can thank me later.

10/10 from The Grooveman.