KAUAN

To me, the winter is a strange time. It is the start and the end of the year, so during the winter there is usually a lot of staying at home, more than what I normally do. It symbolizes thought for me, as it leads into the future, as I sometimes wonder what'll come of me in the next tomorrow. As many may agree, the future is terrifying as it delves into the fear of the unknown. We do not have a machine that can allow us to see into something so mysterious and weird as time, and while I cannot definitively say the unknown scares me as greatly as something like death, or spiders, or heights, or what have you, it still at least makes me wonder, nay even ponder about the aspects that time has given me. We can look at the past, but the future will put us in a chokehold no matter when or where we may be able to look at it with the proper gear.

For me, Sorni Nai by the Russian post metal band Kauan represents that fear, as well as the loneliness and intrigue it may hold.

To give some clarification on what this album is about, this album is a concept record based on the tragic Dyatlov Pass Incident, which was a 1959 event that transpired in Russia, with 9 hikers dying of mysterious, yet found out to be mere natural circumstances. Reading about that incident has given me quite a new perspective on what this album means for my thoughts on the ivory white snow that coats my hometown during the winter seasons.

Whilst, sad to say, I cannot quite fully relate to the events that happened in 1959, as I am an American and not a Russian, I can feel sympathy and some form of relatability to them as I live in a town that usually gets quite a lot of snow each year during the winter seasons, and so I can have at least some eye level in terms of sympathy on that fateful day in Eastern Europe.

Hearing about the incident, whilst also hearing the music, has made me find a strange feeling that I haven't gotten in quite a while, not since I have heard Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada, or, in a more LP example, ( ) by Sigur Ros.

The best way I could describe the feeling I get with this album is a strange sense of loneliness, as well as a puncturing inconsolable feeling that drifts through the seams. I guess what I am trying to say is that the sound this album exudes is one that Sigur Ros does with their albums, mixed with the harsh and brutality of black and doom metal groups like My Dying Bride and or Thy Catafalque.

However, honestly the real beauty of this album doesn't lie in the enigmatic post rock and post metal, which, do not get me wrong, is stellar, but it is the more atmospheric and ambient portions that get me the most. I believe the song At spells it best, specifically with the part of a Russian woman (who I assume is related in some way to one of the 9 hikers) talking and crying. Whilst I do not understand what she is saying, her tears and whimpers make me feel a certain pity that is hard to describe, almost like seeing a moth with a damaged wing trying to fly. The ending song of Sat is another good example of this, being this enigmatic climax as the album, more specifically the hikers lives remembered through the sound and sheer will it exudes, dies on Hell's coldest day. My words honestly cannot give it justice, you really have to listen to it for yourself.

I find this album to not only be one of the best post rock albums, but THE best post metal album. I think all the albums I consider to be a masterpiece have made me feel a certain way that no other album could. A otherworldly sense of beauty and spectacle with Yes' Close To The Edge, or some kind of horror and discomfort with Current 93's I Have A Special Plan For This World. This album makes me feel cold, for the lack of a better term, and it honestly nearly made me cry. I am not a crier, that is for certain, but if your album can make me have a near breakdown of tears, then you gained not only my love, my interest, but also my biggest hand of respect. Truly a sad, wondrous, but sad spectacle put on display.

"Ommeltu Polku" atmospheric, basic post rock tune, just enough to dive into, try to find the differences from the original. "Valveuni" monolithic piano base, a gripping and percussive percussion, Finnish voices to wander on the steep Scandinavian slopes, the violin coming to bewitch the part of still chaste ears; break on the piano for a sound coming from the entrails of malström; the evolution on layers of ambient and melancholy synth. "Fohn" on this characteristic riff that had bewitched me in its time, a hard, melancholic, depressive mixture, eyeing on ANATHEMA, KATATONIA and other SOEN; variation with vocals brightening up the piano notes; it is airy, crystalline, ethereal and beautiful; the final symphonic rise, phonic latency; a 'journey from sweltering urban neighborhoods to fields where the wind blows'. "Sokea Sisar" where emotion meets the traditional instrument that is the violin; the rise, the digression on the clear drums, a distant riff; finale with AC/DC bell in the distance, well I don't think it's the same, but the grandiloquent side is there until the violin-piano serenade. "Neulana Hetkessa" continues, noting that the titles are well linked with sea sounds; the cheerfully depressive melody with the Finnish again and again giving a warm and/or icy air depending on the listening; halfway a heavy, unhealthy guitar riff soon arrives followed by the vibrating violin; clean break at 6'50 with a more festive air, guitar and violin arpeggio, end.

KAUAN delivers a fully re-recorded and remastered version of their masterpiece 'Aava Tuulen Maa', progressive black metal album par excellence; different arrangements, a more modern sound, always in this new and singular lineage that is their atmospheric doom-post-metal; album replayed with real instruments, soundtrack not simply dusted off, quality more in tune with the current era when the album was released from the group's personal home studio; analog output to give the maximum heat. A new cover by Sergey JUNG, the vinyl, the bonus booklet, in short everything for a self-respecting fan. Ideal for those who do not know too, otherwise there is an air of agreement we are in agreement.

Well truth be told, KAUAN isn't a regular metal band at all. In fact i would call it a post-rock / dark ambient band that just HAPPENS to incorporate doom and black metal to the mix. The band was inspired by Agalloch's "The Mantle" and that is exactly what you can expect on LUMIKUURO, namely a Finno-Russian take on that classic album only set to a much mellower pace with pianos as the main metal instrument leading the melodic way. At this stage the band was a mere trio consisting of Anton Belov, the founder on guitar, vocals and keyboards. Also on board is Lubov Mushnikova on violin and Alexander Borovikh on guitar on backing vocals.

So what's up with Finnish as the language of choice in the heart of Siberia? Well, it wasn't because any of the members were from Finland! On the contrary Belov was enchanted by the lyrical delivery of Finnish metal bands which focused more on vowel sounds rather than the consonant harshness of Russian but also deemed that the scarcity of Finnish speakers would enshroud the band's lyrical delivery in a mysticism in virtually every part of the globe except for the world of Finland of course! Overall a pretty unique approach and having studied the Finnish language myself for a few months, i have to say that i'm impressed at the effort in taking on this Finno-Ugric language of a mere 6 million or so speakers.

Musically i would say that LUMIKUURO is mostly like the softer parts of Agalloch's "The Mantle" and that's not to say it's a clone in any way. This band at this stage somehow amalgamated Finnish and Russian folk with aspects of doom metal, black metal and dark ambient but there is always a piano to lead in the main melody before the rest of the eclectic mix plays off of it. The album has eight tracks and mostly soars in the gloomy doomy section of the metal universe when it turns up the distortion. Sort of like a piano-led My Dying Bride with a stealthy violin presence with black metal vocals and a heavy dose of atmospheric dynamics. The album is more atmospheric than rocking and is basically a post-rock album with metal accouterments so no head banging on this one.

Given the band's Finno-Urgric fascination, KAUAN has relocated to Estonia in the present day and continues the shtick laid down on LUMIKUURO. This is by all means an art metal sorta album and mostly non-metal to be honest as the metal moments are fleeting yet effective as a point of contrast. These are hauntingly beautiful melodies that pierce the soul as they are mined from centuries old traditions of folk music. The members of KAUAN have the gift of bringing these sounds to the modern age and adapting them to the modern world. Once again when i say LUMIKUURO is influence by "The Mantle" that is a good thing. Despite the overall comparisons, this album actually sounds fairly unique from my experience. Doomy, gloomy but in a way that makes you realize there's light at the end of the tunnel. Interesting band for sure.

'Enne' creaking boat noises, the atmosphere is there; it's simple, fresh, it's basic but it gently disconnects you from reality to bring you to 'Taistelu' with its overlooped, redundant, hypnotic sound, from the best ANATHEMA, sulphurous, which puts you in a trance, ode to creation divine of the frenzied and snowy high steppes. 'Maanpako' continues led by a dark and delicate piano arpeggio, solemn, jazzy drums, soft; the break wants to be hellish, raw on a heavy riff then it goes down and touches the divine. Anton's death voice wakes us up from lethargy, warm. 'Kutsu' follows mix of previous titles with loudness, debauchery of sounds of a malmström and soft melancholic lament; the voice is clear, on the original language; angelic choirs come for a time to amplify the state of bliss, a horn, waves and 'Raivo' arrives, pompous, grandiloquent, majestic; we are on the absolute musical emphasis, between cathedral doom and happy melancholy spleen; around 3'40'' it's orchestral ecstasy with a riff from beyond the grave, then Anton's death voice, the return of this heavy, harmful and so enjoyable riff before the symphonic flight over disaffected limbo from the steppe; we are again on the ANATHEMA sound of their second period, the sidereal beauty, the intrinsic beauty, the Beauty with a last solo à la CAVANAGH. 'Ote' and the waves which allow the transition with this crystalline piano; the synths are even more majestic, showing the idyllic character that one note after another can recreate; warm Finnish voice for a melancholic decrescendo of great beauty, invading spleen at the tip of the ship's bow; the post-rock guitar suddenly reminiscent of the SIGUR ROS, the air always latent, angelic and majestic, I dare not write divine. life before 50, otherwise you don't know what Life is; a slow climb to capsize the boat? a time when everything merges even without LSD or another magic mushroom; post again monolithic but stratospheric, basic but clear, creative and beautiful; for the finale, an icy guitar arpeggio on these sounds of boats and mooring lines from the start.

Well, giant album in its genre from one of the best current bands for the sound generated and the atmospheres suggested, that's how it is. You have to have it, listen to it, keep it to yourself.

'Savu & Aamu ja Kaste' on a melancholic doom sound with rise, riff and violin. 'Lumikuuro' takes a violin attack. 'Koivun Elämä' softer in the background but still as melancholy. 'Sumun Syleily' with a halfway break opening on the floydian guitar parts. 'Вместо Слёз' for the title in the language of there, dark, austere. 'Äidin Laulu' for the epic suite on a slow and long progressive rise, a crystalline piano break, final on the psychedelic Pink Floyd. 'Orkidea' for the three-key piano we all played on, for the cataclysmic rise. 'Unsoi' for the finale and the end of the explosive end.

KAUAN makes music, between freezing doom, ethereal and meditative neo-classical post-rock, sweet thoughts before the return of winter, freezing cold, dark glimmers; KAUAN offers a one-hour cover of their sound of yesteryear and invites you on an absolute journey, the one from which you will not return except. An album that can be found live on a platform before buying it and keeping it for yourself for an intense dreamlike journey. (3.5)