Finnish black metal is always distinguished by a specific atmosphere, painting cold landscapes in the listener’s mind. The same is true of Arctora’s debut full-length album, in which the newly formed band, comprised of some already well-known members, presents a chilling soundscape of soaring atmospheric guitars, flirtatious lead performances and expressive vocals.

Arctora have been in the making for the past year, with their debut ‘The Storm Is Over’ released in late September via the WormHoleDeath label. The band consists of guitarist and vocalist Joel Notkonen (known from Ondfødt’s live performances), the inhuman drummer Tommi Tuhkala (Ondfødt, Outlaw, Spell of Torment), bassist Jere „Pihvi“ Halonen, guitarist Tuure Suomalainen and vocalist Niko Kauhanen, and the perfectly fused quintet shows quite clearly what can rise from the confines of the proverbial Finnish love of solitude and nature.

The album is a tale of a journey through frosty forests covered in snow, reimagined in the form of melodic death/black metal. Lyrically, it deals with the personal tribulations that a person faces during their difficult journey and the personal strength that each of us shows precisely in the most difficult moments that life throws at us. Each of the pieces carries a certain amount of melancholy, as well as in specific moments carries the purpose of a harbinger of catharsis – an elevation that many people do not reach even until their last breath.

The cold instrumental, the furious harsh vocals – especially those in the track „I am Human“ – high and low, and some of the more epic moments, give a monumental nuance to the title. Although it is not quite the typical Finnish black metal, the work of the musicians is very close to what we are used to hearing in the music of their compatriots Kalmankantaja and other musicians of this rank, as in addition to the already known, Arctora also put a huge dose of their own emotion and ideas – the variations in the vocals, the great symbiosis between death and black metal, along with many other surprises.

The introspective nature of „The Storm Is Over“ carries a sense of intimacy, of wandering among the harsh Arctic ice. Ice that displays some of the most important human characteristics – the will and power to rise above challenges.
Finnish melodic death metal with black metal influences, which for almost an hour will take you through its winter magic conceived by melodic guitar riffs, fierce drums and strong vocals.

„Let not your heart be turned to stone, By all manner of earthly woes“

Hear „The Storm Is Over“ on Spotify:

Order link: https://orcd.co/thestormisover