Saattue - Jäähyvästi

Lately, I have been listening quite a lot to Saattue's first full length album, Jäähyvästi. It was recommended to me by the owner of the Metalzone cd-shop in Vosselaar in february, based on some other cd's I bought at that time. I didn't pick it up initially, but I wish I had. Because after I did get it last week, it's been in my cd-player and my iPod for quite some time.

Saattue hails from Finland, and they play doom metal in their native Finnish tongue. I wasn't quite sure how those Finnish lyrics would turn out, but they work very well for me. Even though I don't understand one word of what they are singing about, they are able to touch me purely through their music. For me, a doom metal band is succesful if they are able to give you a feeling of melancholy. This band succeeds in that goal wonderfully. This is precisely the kind of cd I like to put on while driving home from work when it is overcast or raining. It doesn't surprise me that this bands comes from Finland, I think you almost need long periods without sunshine to help you make this kind of music.

My personal listening favourite is the second song, Vieraaseen Multaan. It has a female singer as well to help develop the ambience of the song (she doesn't have any lyrics). Her vocals contrast wonderfully with both the heavier sound of the rest of the music. If you don't mind Finnish lyrics, and you like doom metal, you should definitely check this band out. If you do mind the Finnish lyrics, check them out anyway, they might just make you change your mind.

For fans of: Evoken, My Dying Bride (especially the older releases).