Well, well, well, what do we have here? Let’s see…Finland, mid ’90s, melodic black metal, bombastic keyboards, female vocals, corpsepaint. Still following me? Good, because if you don’t, you will miss a very good and interesting album, which will be released tomorrow, on Valenti….hmph hmph, on the 14th of February, via the Finnish label Werewolf Records.
Faustian Pact has been active for a good 10 years and until now they have released only 3 demo tapes. “Outojen Torniej Varjoissa“, which can roughly be translated as “In the Shadow of Strange Towers” is their debut full length album and I absolutely love this shit. I listened to this record many times since I got the promo and I hope it will get the attention it deserves as Faustian Pact have done a remarkable job with it. Of course the satanic purists will probably mock it as the band dares to have synths and female vocals, but I don’t give a flying fuck about that, and I hope you don’t give either.
The music is surprisingly fresh and entertaining, but not in a fun way. All along the 10 tracks, the trio of musicians that form Faustian Pact creates a mystic atmosphere, which is very much enhanced by V- Khaoz‘s grandiose keyboards. Lady Heidi von Bergbacka‘s angelic voice also adds quality to the music while also infusing the whole thing with a morbid charm of its own.
The reason why I consider this to be a very good album is because of how well the musicians have put together/outlined the contrast between the melodic parts and the aggressive music. Blast beats/sharp riffing and cosmic keys, tortured screaming and ethereal female vocals, they all blend perfectly on this record. Even if you might get a feeling of some déjà-vù here and there, Faustian Pact has branded “Outojen Torniej Varjoissa” with its own trademark and the final result is surprisingly original.
I do not have any favorite tracks, as the album in its entirety is one solid merciless blast of ice-cold northern mayhem. Pump up the volume and enjoy this beautiful record, which is a truly unexpected surprise from the dark woods of Finland. Looking forward for other releases of this Finnish band, they really convinced me with this record.
What I do not like though are the promo pictures and maybe the cover, which looks a bit too death metal for my taste. While of course those pics fit the mid ’90s atmosphere very well, they are a bit uninspired now, in my opinion. But after all, this is only a minor detail that doesn’t affect the music in any way, and in the end that’s the most important thing.
Finnish black metal never ceased to surprise me, so if you like melodic but also violent black metal, then look no further, as Faustian Pact is exactly what you need. You would be surprised how entertaining this album actually is, just play it once or twice and it will definitely grow on you. “Outojen Torniej Varjoissa” is full of memorable moments while also having a mystical atmosphere. The music is so good you won’t even notice when (or where) the 41 minutes have gone and you’ll want to press “play” again.
If this album would have been released in 1997, I am pretty sure it would have been overlooked by the press and fans alike, due to the abundance of similar materials. But now, in 2020, this album will definitely find its way on many “best albums of the year” lists. I already know it will be on mine, for sure!
Faustian Pact – “Outojen Torniej Varjoissa” track list:
1. Saastainen Valo Lintutornissa
2. Myytti Am’Khollenin Kuninkaasta
3. Kuulas Musta Aika
4. Loitsupuut
5. Rauniopuhetta
6. Keihäsrinta
7. Valottomien Askelten Takana
8. Askeesi
9. Yön Viittojen Saleissa
10. Viimeisen Tyrannin Silmä
Faustian Pact Line Up:
Octus – Gnarling Sorcery / Poetic Recitations of the Gormenghastian Towerspeech (Bass / Vocals)
Morthum – Fluttering Stringmastery of the Cape-Willed Shapes (Guitar)
Kathral – Aristocratic Pounding of the Nontraditional Towers and Bizarre Shadows (Drums)
V- Khaoz – Majestic Autumnal Synthscapes of the Purple Pasts (Keyboards)
Lady Heidi von Bergbacka – Supreme Voice of Ethereal Adorations (under servitude of the Winter’s Queen) (Vocals)
Band contact:
https://www.facebook.com/truefaustianpact/
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