Finnish Black Metal is a genre that always brings very good surprises for the fans of the genre, because it seems to be more than music, but an attitude of the musicians. This is the reason behind many old bands of the genre keeping things as they started as they can, to keep a faithful relation between the band and its fans. And one of those legendary bands from Finland that has a cult status is the quintet HORNA, here back again with a new full-length, “Nyx (Hymnejä Yölle)”. The words above states clear: the quintet creates a form of Black Metal that carries the Finnish DNA, using contrasts between fast and slow tempos with intense (and technical) rhythmic approach, amazing guitar riffs and arrangements, and nasty shrieks with graven tunes.

Obviously, one can ask what a band with 30 years on its shoulders and a long discography still has to offer, and the answer is simple: a personal and full of energy approach on Black Metal. It’s really excellent! The sonority of the album (that was mixed at Demonspeed Music, and mastered at Trollhouse Studio) is truly great: clean and defined, boosting the musical aggressiveness of the quintet, but keeping all the features of Black Metal (the organic appeal and the funereal instrumental tunes). It means that “Nyx (Hymnejä Yölle)” (that can be translated as “Nyx (Hymns for the Night)”, being Nyx the Greek goddess of the night, and the first to be born from Chaos) can be said as the most refined moment that the band’s music was gifted. And the artwork of Spellgoth (layout) and Dhomth (cover art) is truly amazing.

As the band’s 12th full-length, “Nyx (Hymnejä Yölle)” depicts that HORNA still has a lot to offer to Black Metal fans, as shown on “Hymni I” (a brutal and long track with excellent rhythmic shifts, with excellent bombing from bass guitar and drums), “Hymni II” (that brings the band to a more classic appeal, with somber melodic tacks in the guitars’ arrangements in some parts, and what very good riffs), “Hymni III”, “Hymni IV” (a massive Black Metal assault with very good shrieked tunes on the vocals), “Hymni V” and “Kuoleva Lupaus” (here the band shows another side of their music, with is a neofolk version of the song of the same name from their 2005’s “Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne”).

After listening to “Nyx (Hymnenjä Yölle)”, the fans will understand that HORNA still has some lessons to teach, because this is one of the best extreme Metal releases of this year!