There was a time when a new Finntroll release would have had my spewing troll semen all over myself in a gushing review about 45 seconds after the release date. So why then has it taken my so long to review the 5th album from a bad that has arguably been one of my top 5 bands?
I’m not sure. Ur Jordens Djup (roughly meaning buried in the earth or from the depths) has all the trademark traits of a Finntroll album; blackened folk with hummpa and polka elements, catchy yet darkly trollish riffs and moods. New vocalist Vreth fill’s Wilska’s shoes with nary a noticeable change and Finntroll still, at times, entertain the piss out of me. The thing is though, much like my often youthful, gleeful response to early Bal-Sagoth vs. my slightly colder response to them now-I’ve simply grown out of them.
Do I enjoy Ur Jordens Djup? Absolutely. It seems to mix the grimmer tones of Trollhammaren with the playful moods of Jaktens Tid (still the band’s best effort IMO) and has ample moments of knee slapping joy and catchy banjo and moth harp littered silliness such as “Sång”, “Korpens Saga”, “En Mäktig Här” and super catchy “Ormhäxan” but also has some moodier, nastier less polka ridden moments like “Nedgång”, “Slagbröder” and “Under Två Runor”. Then there’s the needlessly 13 minute closer “Kvällning” which initially sounds like it came from the acoustic Visor Om Slutet album before a lengthy silence then a drunken kazoo laden chant/ditty.
Production wise, the Sonic Pump/Finnvox mix of Ur Jordens Djup is damn stern, arguably their heaviest, but it all still just lacks that X factor that made their other albums slightly more memorable and longer lasting. The truth is, while I will always enjoy anything this band puts out, I’m simply more apt to reach for their back catalog for my hummpa/troll metal fix.
