Havukruunu - Tavastland Review - Metal Utopia

Band: Havukruunu
Album: Tavastland
Label: Svart Records
Genre: Melodic black metal, Pagan black metal
Country: Finland
Release Date: February 28th, 2025
For Fans Of: Moonsorrow, Stormkeep, Véhémence

Finland’s Havukruunu are one of the leading bands in the pagan-melodic-medieval black metal movement, having three prior full-lengths under their belt. They have had a consistently high level of quality since their inception, and since graduating to Svart Records, they seem to have upped their game.

In keeping with prior releases, Tavastland has all the Havukruunu staples: triumphant, epic riffs, driving melodies, and barking vocals in Finnish. However, Tavastland still feels like a step up, improving on their already great back catalog. One only needs to hear the first track to see this; “Kuolematon Laulunhenki” opens on a cataclysmic riff that will serve as a recurring motif throughout the album. Shortly after, vocals and guitars join in on a grandiose melody, accented by thunderous drums, before breaking into a driving section with guitar arpeggios. The track centers on the same arpeggio lead beneath a lyrical solo for a massive climax.

Where Tavastland differs from Havukruunu’s previous output is in the subtleties. Care has been taken to make Tavastland sound massive, with better production and layered instrumentation, grandiose vocal harmonies and an outstanding drum sound. They seem to lean more into the “epic” style than on previous outings, but they still retain many great aggressive moments, like on third track “Havukruunu ja Talvenvarjo”, where blast beats permeate the opening as a glorious guitar melody rings out above. The aggression continues through the verse in a similar fashion to many of the great moments on previous albums.

At over 53 minutes, Tavastland is not a short album, but it doesn’t feel long either. This is likely due to their expert use of motif; melodies recur throughout the album in a way that makes tracks blend together, rewarding listeners who absorb the album all at once. As a result it’s hard to pick out highlights, but rather the whole album feels like necessary listening. Admittedly, there isn’t a ton of variation on the central motif, but it doesn’t feel tiring or overly repetitive due to the quality of their writing. For new listeners it’s a great introduction to their style, and with the improved production, their sound is less washed-out than before, which I feel is to their benefit. Regardless, Tavastland is a stellar album, one that may sit atop their esteemed discography for me.

Rating: 8/10

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