When Black Metal history is discussed, people usually think about the scenes of Norway, Sweden, Greece, UK and others, but it’s common to see that people forget the contributions of other countries, especially Finland. Acts as BEHERIT. IMPALED NAZARENE, BARATHRUM, AZAGHAL and other who shaped the genre there, and that came to influence many acts in the future. And “Gravebound”, the first full-length of the Finnish quartet BLOODCROSS, depicts clearly that another great tyrant of Black Metal is arising in the land of the Kalevala. Tomi Uusitupa (the vocalist of BATTLEDRAGON and owner of Oxroad Studios in Marttila, Finland) was hired by the band to work on the recordings, mixing and mastering of “Gravebound”.

The final result is a fierce and defined sonority that is usual for Finnish Black Metal acts, with everything sounding loud and clear, but with the natural instrumental tunes for the genre. And what macabre artwork for the cover! As stated above, the quartet works on a form of Black Metal that sounds melodic and really hooking in many aspects. But unlike a great part of Melodic Black Metal acts, they prefer to abstain the use of keyboards, so all the melodic traits and ambiences comes from the guitars (and they’re truly amazing). It’s really excellent how they combine the shrieks of the vocals with excellent riffing and great leads and melodic arrangements, and a thunderous rhythmic work on bass guitar and drums to unleash a melodic and rough form of music that bleeds in darkened energy! It’s great!!!

The album has only one ‘problem’: it has only seven tracks (by the blazes, after them, the listeners will surely ask for more!). And let’s speak the truth: if one Black Metal fan hear to what is exposed on “Warbeasts” (amazing energy flowing from it, and what excellent leads and duets of the guitars), “Nemesis Reborn” (very good faster tempos without losing the Finnish melodic grasp, and bass guitar and drums are technically creating a maelstromic set of rhythms), “Beyond Flesh” (one the intro one can check how important are the morbid and introspective ambiences created by the guitars, but pay attention to how the snarling shrieks used by the vocals lay perfectly on such funereal slow paced tempos), “Pale Avenger” (here one can check some Black/Thrash Metal influences natural for Black Metal in some parts entangling with the personal appeal of the quartet), “Gravebound” (when one asks about Finnish melodic appeal, just show this song to such person), “Devil Speed” and “Howling Spirits” and have problems of liking it, maybe this one doesn’t understand what Black Metal really stands for.

“Gravebound” is really a great album (I want and need a copy of it!), and BLOODCROSS is here to become a new driving force for Finnish Black Metal!