Bjørkø– Heartrot
Origin: Finland
Release: 01.12.2023
Label: Svart Records
Duration: 41:54
Genre: Death Metal
Photo Credit: Sam Jamsen
When a musician has been in the business for several years and is responsible for ensuring that his band is one of the biggest in its genre, there is often an urgent desire to immortalize oneself experimentally musically and artistically. There is no other way to explain it Bjørkønamely Tomi Koivusaariafter almost 35 years of death metal Amorphis now with Heartrot releases a solo album that couldn’t be more different in comparison.
The cover alone allows a deep look into this album: the guitarist’s naked chest covered with flowers shows directly what awaits the listener: Definitely not hard-core Death Metal!
Everything as always?
Admittedly, the album begins as one would expect: The Heartroot Rotsthat you HERE You can listen to it, it’s still hard-hitting Death Metal with the right growling to it. This piece leaves you wanting more! But you don’t get much more than that, except for the following Vaka Loki comes across as much more leisurely and melodic, so that in complete contrast it represents a completely different style of music.
This is even more drastic Whitebone Wind. Here the formation drifts around Koivusaari almost into pop and at times reminiscent of the early ones Nightwish Albums. Vaerinvahtaja Instead, it goes more in the direction again Rob Zombie.
Across all genres
It quickly becomes clear: it will definitely not be boring here. The Trickster is something between the Far East and shanty, Hooks In The Sky however, packed with synths and Reverberations Finally a saxophone outro. If you don’t sit there with your mouth open after reading this sentence, you should read it again. It’s really hard to assign this album to a genre, and yet that’s exactly what’s brilliant: the musical diversity is simply breathtaking.
This has happened Koivusaari covered with numerous guest musicians who once again underline the musical diversity: singers from Carcass, Solstafir, Dimmu Borgir, Amorphisand musicians from Opeth and Stratovarius In addition to some musicians from classical music, we also joined in and worked together on this album. He originally had the idea 15 years ago and wanted to release the corresponding album ten years ago. But nothing came of it, so it was only the pandemic that gave him the time to complete the project.
Conclusion
Bjørkø point to Heartrot an incredible musical variety that leaves the listener with their mouths open. guitarist Tomi Koivusaari shows his great talent for writing great songs with colleagues. This is also the case with his collaboration Amorphis always clear, and yet this album makes one thing clear: he is an indispensable, brilliant musician! 9 / 10
Line Up
Tomi Koivusaari – guitar, pedal steel, keyboard and guitar
Janne Lounatvuori – Synths, Keyboard
Lauri Porra – Bass
Waltteri Väyrynen – drums and percussion
Guest musician
Sakari Kukko – Saxophon auf Reverberations
Annea Lounatvouri – cello on Heartroot Rots, Vaka Loki , Hooks in the Sky
Vili Itäpelto – choir on Hooks in the Sky and guitar on The Trickster
Jeff Walker – vocals on The Heartroot Rots
Addi Trygvasson – vocals on Vaka Loki
Marko Hietala – vocals on Whitebone Wind
Petronella Nettermalm – vocals on Whitebone Wind
Ismo Alanko – vocals on Color changer
Stian Thoresen – vocals on World As Fire And Hallucination
Jessi Frey – vocals on The Trickster
Tomi Joutsen – vocals on Hooks In The Sky
Tomi Koivusaari – Gesang auf Hooks In The Sky
Mariska – vocals on Magenta
Tracklist
01. The Heartroot Rots (feat. Jeff Walker)
02. Vaka Loki (feat. Addi Tryggvason)
03. Whitebone Wind (feat. Marco Hietala)
04. Color changer (feat. Ismo Alanko)
05. Awakening
06. World As Fire and Hallucination (feat. Shagrath)
07. The Trickster (feat. Jessi Frey)
08. Hooks In The Sky (feat. Tomi Joutsen)
09. Magenta (feat. Mariska)
10. Reverberations (feat. Sakari Kukko)
Links
Instagram Bjørkø
Facebook Bjørkø
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
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