Band:	Einvigi
Album:	Monokroma
Style:	Shoegaze, Post-metal
Release date:	March 2024

01. Huoma
02. Elossa Eilen, Tänään Jo Kuollut
03. Tumman Veden Lapsi
04. Ambrosia
05. Kuolintanssi
06. Missä Kuljimme Kerran
07. Monokroma
08. Yksinäisen Laulu Pt.1
09. Yksinäisen Laulu Pt.2 - Interlude
10. Yksinäisen Laulu Pt.3 - Uusi Aurinko Nousee

Even though it just happens that there's another wait for a new Alcest album, there might be more to Einvigi than being the Finnish Alcest appetizer before the main French meal.

I am both exaggerating and understating the ties that Einvigi have with Alcest. When I first encountered the band, reviewing their previous album I joked a lot about the similarities between the two bands, and thankfully someone did notice that I snuck Alcest album titles translated in Finnish in the band background section of the review. There is a reason why 2022's Yö Kulje Kanssani instantly reminded me of Alcest, even if it doesn't seem like the band specifically named them as an influence, the similarities were very clear, to the point where I also found similarities in the drumming, objectively the hardest instrument to draw similarities from.

Well, I'm not entirely sure if Monokroma stepped things up that much or I'm just getting guilty feelings for once again namedropping another band more than the actual band I'm reviewing, but I'm feeling less instantly reminded of them this time around. Sure, the shared DNA is still in there, and I still think that the core of it is in the blackgaze area that is very much in the same lane, and Alcest fans would find it very appealing (hint: I'm an Alcest fan, and I find it very very appealing). But just like for Yö Kulje Kanssani I appreciated the moments and elements that felt like it deviated from that obvious comparison, it feels like Monokroma delivers more on those very aspects.

A lot of them I've already pointed out in the review of the previous album, the clean vocals having a very specific Finnish rock/folk affectation, the harsh vocals being meatier, and the "lighter rock" influence being more specific. This time around, I feel a bit more Viikate in the lighter side and more Insomnium in the melodies, both of these directions being more pronounced this time around. The blend of the melancholic and upbeat vibes works even better through the harsh/light contrast specifically because each side feels more developed this time around. The lead guitar melodies really shine in the lighter sections, and I don't remember hearing a riff as meaty as the one in "Missä kuljimme kerran" in a blackgaze song in a long long time.

It seems like Monokroma is doing the work towards sounding more specifically Einvigi in its very very Finnish take on blackgaze. Comparisons with other bands might still be valid, but it no longer feels close to being a clone of anything very specific.