Amorphis guitarist Tomi Koivusaari makes his long-awaited introduction as BJØRKØ with grand and gloomy debut.
Albums with multiple guest vocalists can feel somewhat disjointed as the difference in vocal styles and lyrics seem too mixed up. BJØRKØ’s Heartrot, however, feels wholly consistent. Featuring a wide range of artists across a mix of tracks with no overall theme – some made recently, whilst others were crafted 15 years ago – it somehow carries across as completely unified.
BJØRKØ, also known as Amorphis guitarist Tomi Koivusaari, began working on solo material with the idea of releasing an album for his 40th birthday. But only when the pandemic struck did he actually have time to get stuck in. And yet, Heartrot is a far cry away from your typical lockdown album, as BJØRKØ – now 50 – gets out of his own head and expands into much more cinematic territory along with his recruited band.
The album feels incredibly grand and pulls together a vast range of styles instrumentally, from ’80s rock to modern metal, and even gothic western elements. Opening track The Heartroot Rots, featuring Carcass’ Jeff Walker sets the maximalist approach coming in at just over six minutes, with relentless guitar and verses of darkly grumbled poetry.
Elsewhere, elements of piano and the jangle of acoustic guitar make things feel more classic. Värinvaihtaja, a work with Finnish multi-instrumentalist Ismo Alanko, offers a vocal melody that remains repetitive, an earworm that cleverly nuzzles itself in and stays long after a listen. Short track Awakening acts as an interlude marking an evolution in the sound and in the tales being shared. Hooks In The Sky, featuring Amorphis bandmate Tomi Joutsen, is a clear standout from this portion, with its use of gothic-sounding organ and double kick drum.
Heartrot is a collection of anger and melancholy, with the album’s halfway point acting as a point for metamorphic change and a seeming acceptance of struggle. Not an album for casual listening, it’s far more demanding for complete attention. You have to make time for its complexity and let it grab you by the throat.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Amorphis, Wolves In The Throne Room, Nightwish
Heartrot is released on December 1 via Svart
