Band:	Moonsorrow
Album:	Tulimyrsky
Style:	Viking folk metal
Release date:	April 30, 2008
Guest review by:	Carl Berg

01. Tulimyrsky
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls [Metallica cover]
03. Taistelu Pohjolasta [2008 version]
04. Hvergelmir [2008 version]
05. Back To North [Merciless cover]

Well, here we are, the legendary Tulimyrsky by Moonsorrow. Yes, it might be an "EP", but it hugely surpasses the concept of an EP. Here, ladies and gentlemen, we have over 1 hour of folk metal, with very unique, mysterious, and epic atmospheres. Despite the fact that Tulimyrsky only has one original composition (2 out of the 5 songs are re-recorded versions of old demo songs and 2 are covers of other bands' songs), it is one of the best Moonsorrow have released. Why? The answer is simple, yet inconceivably complex: the title track "Tulimyrsky", clocking in at 30 minutes.

First things first, let's start with the title track. A mix of acoustic and electric elements, "Tulimyrsky" is a song that attempts to transport the listener into the deepest of his thoughts. To this end, it is structured into 5 parts, after each of which the narrator's voice can be heard in Finnish. Most of these parts are, in essence, nothing else but epic black metal that jumps in your face with it's simple yet greatly empowering riffs, connected by faint moments of true mystery. What makes this song so epic and memorable is that it carries a message that each one of us has to decipher for himself. It would not be too much to say that "Tulimyrsky" is the voyage of a Human being through the perils and wonders of Life, at the end of which He realizes the insignificance of it's grandeur.

Of course, this song alone would be enough to propel this record into greatness, but Moonsorrow have added 4 more to accompany it. First one of these is their cover of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" of Metallica. Moonsorrow have successfully managed to add their innovative style to it, effectively transforming it into something that, surprisingly, resembles more a folk song than a thrash one. And boy, is it epic.

Among the remaining songs on this album, the one that deserves the biggest mention is their re-recording of "Taistelu Pohjolasta", a black metal song that contains folk elements. The song has a very uneasy atmosphere yet manages to deliver an incredibly uplifting feeling. "Hvelgemir" sounds like a typical Wolves In The Throne Room song with occasional folk instruments.

Considering Moonsorrow's previous releases, I must say that Tulimyrsky is an album that merits it's place beside the mighty V : Havitetty. To be honest, it is not easy to say if "Tulimirsky" beats the epicness of "Jaasta Syntynyt", but one thing is for sure: even if this EP had only "Tulimyrsky", it would be well worth buying. This record is beyond doubt one of the best Moonsorrow has to offer and a true masterpiece in the genre.