6th March 2022

Review: “Aarnihauta” by Kouta

A Black Metal band inspired by ancient Nordic myths and legends as well as the malign nature of the Scandinavian forests and iniquity of being human, malevolence is said to be at the beating black heart of Kouta. A quintet formed in 2021, they already have a sophomore EP and full length album completed and set for release following this introduction to their chosen sound…

Their debut EP “Aarnihauta” is the tale of the rise of the mythological being Kouta to bring judgement, despair and punishment to the treacherous mankind. Done very much of the Second Wave of Black Metal style, combining it with Folk Metal elements to conjour forth the dark and hopeless atmosphere of Nordic nature, Kouta have offered up something perhaps darker and more unexpected than you might suspect. Blast beats and chanting maybe the mainstay of the title track but it still has time for swirling atmosphere, Black ‘n Roll riffs and a delicate, intricate closing before the majesty of “Maanviha” (or “Anger“) takes a vice grip. There is no doubting the musicanship here as caustic vocals from split throats bring the track to life amid an artillery shelling of blast beats before fading to chanted group vocals that have an almost choral and worship music quality to them despite the riffs underpinning them. Then they offer the shorter “Marran” which brings with it a sense of unease with a sinister edge before thundering away, another white knuckle thrill ride with all the twists of turns of a foreign language thriller. It seems that Death is only thing beginning and with this amuse bouche we are left intrigued as to what else the quintet have in store for us from the frozen Nordic forests in which they dwell [7.5/10]