When guitarist J.H. started on his journey to form SARAJAH back in 2010 he had no hidden agenda and his vision was clear. This was going to be a band that hearkened back to the sonic vibe of BLACK SABBATH, TROUBLE, and SAINT VITUS. Fourteen years later on July 19, 2024, SARAJAH issued their debut self-titled album, and it is exactly what J.H. set out to achieve all those years ago. “Sarajah” is 37 minutes and 40 seconds of down-tuned, slow groove Doom. It has no pretense, no avant-garde ambitions, just dark stories told to dark music.

SARAJAH is based in Jyväskylä, Finland. Yep, that’s way too many consonants piled on top of questionable vowels like the ‘y’ and ‘ä.’  As for the name, the band states “Sarajah comes from Nordic mythology. It is the great sea in the north.” The band also notes that most of the eight tracks that make up this debut are “about mythology and nature in the north.” There are tracks about the northern great sea itself, the dangers that lie atop and within said sea, and the men that faced those dangers and dared to cross it. There are a few exceptions. Okay, there are three exceptions: “Lungs of Smoke” is about a forest fire and the hell beneath; “Home of Arktos” is about the forestland where Arktos, the centaur dwelled; and “Underworld” is, well, about the underworld.

The album cover is a stunning painting by William Smyth (1799 – 1877) of the HMS Terror trapped in ice during Captain George Back's attempt to complete the Northwest passage. While this particular story isn’t captured in any of the tracks on the album, they do pay tribute to Willem Barentsz, another explorer. I should also note that the spirit and power of the northern sea is evoked throughout the album. Indeed, the Doom on this album isn’t of the sludgy swamp variety or even the cemeterial strain and it is ages away from the cosmic psych variety. This Doom swells and crashes like the freezing waters of its namesake.  

As far as music delivery, I appreciate the clean vocals of Magus Corvus and the fact that he doesn’t hide behind a wall of echo chamber effects. The rest of the band plays like a tight trio, with an impressive rhythm section. Standout tracks include “Long Riders” with its groovy, blues-laden breakdowns. Slow and deliberate, this one. I also really enjoyed the title and lead track, “Sarajah” for its insistent riff. No lead solo on this track—just all riff and stalking rhythms.  The final track, “Underworld,” is both the longest and most haunting track of the bunch.

Altogether, “Sarajah” is a strong debut for SARAJAH. They aren’t trying to expand the borders of Doom or even dive to new depths, but what they do, they do well. While I have no doubt SARAJAH will remain true to their Doom roots, I’m curious as to what they’ll do next thematically speaking—e.g. hunker down on the northern sea motif or explore other tangential Nordic themes. Either way, I’ll be looking out for future releases. In the meantime, the band has emphasized that they are a live band, so keep an eye out for them on in the Doom circuit.