When we talk to each other about Finnish black metal, one name is almost always present. The one of the dark sorcerers Horna, who for several decades have not stopped materializing sonic attacks, spreading the dark rays of their spectrum all over the globe.
The band’s twelfth full-length album, “Nyx (Hymnejä yölle)”, marks the band’s thirtieth anniversary and marks a monumental milestone in their musical journey. The very name of the album, as well as its fascinating cover, may have already managed to tell you that it is a rather multi-layered and enchanting work, which is not only extremely raw and powerful in terms of sound, but also offers an even more complex and sophisticated atmosphere. a dose of melancholy and a clear expression of respect for the perfection of the night.
The band drew strong inspiration from the romantic poet Novalis and his poem “Hymnen an Die Nacht”. The poem deals with day and night as complementary forces. The poet describes in detail the development of a content and happy life in the light, the painful process of alienation, and ultimately the salvation coming with the arrival of eternal night. What follows is an awakening from that vision and a longing for its return, again and again, until new levels of knowledge are being reached. In this case, Horna builds greatly on Novalis’s poem and offers an even more esoteric view of the Night, embodying her beauty, wisdom, ancient nature, majesty and deeply held secrets, over the course of six monolithic hymns in Her honor. On this occasion, the name Nyx was also chosen – the name of an ancient deity, usually seen as the very essence of night – a veil of dark mists stretched across the sky to hide the light. In ancient art, you can see that Nyx is depicted as a winged goddess, sometimes crowned with a halo of dark mist, as you can see on the wonderful cover by Dhomth.
Ritual begins with deep and aggressive riffs, accompanied by the
traditional Spellgoth beastly vocals, dissolving into the massive
atmosphere of “Hymni I”. The song delivers raw, fast and predatory
melodies that cling to the mind with no intention of letting go,
enticing you to continue deeper and deeper into the wilds of
Nyx.
And the journey to these depths is worth it – the more you travel
towards the end, the more you enter a mystical and uncompromising
sound experience that begins to feel like midnight magic, as
a flight on the wings of the ancient goddess of the
night. As early as “Hymni II” fascinating elements are revealed
such as a thread of shimmering ornamental guitars, clean harmonic
ritualistic psychedelic-sounding chants and more occult thick and
flowing rhythms that carry the listener into another dimension.
And after all the descent and immersion in the magic of the
darkness of the night, it ends with a poetic neo-folk
interpretation of the song “Kuovela Lupaus” originally featured on
the album “Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne” from 2005, here
performed in full by Hex Inferi. A song that is associated with
death, about the embrace of majestic eternity, here also
personifying the power of Nyx and signaling her final looming over
the listener’s soul.
Horna outdo themselves with “Nyx (Hymnejä yölle)”. They deliver an opus that will quite deservedly be remembered in time – a primal, truly beautiful and magical work with a number of hidden puzzle pieces for you to follow and fit in your mind, gradually revealing a mystical, exciting picture.
You can listen to the album today on all streaming platforms, and if you want to buy it on physical format via W.T.C. Productions – quickly go to https://lmy.de/KbyQF , because it is very likely that copies will be sold out soon.
Listen to “Nyx (Hymnejä yölle)”:
Mother of THE VOID.
Underground music is the ultimate weapon against mediocrity.
