You know those albums where you take detours on your way home just to listen to one more song, or put a particular one on repeat so you can just listen and listen and listen? This is one of those. To be honest, I thought Havukruunu had peaked with Uinuos Syömein Sota. That album was an almost perfect cold blaze of frenetic but melodic heathen black metal, but I have to say that Tavastland tops it by a fair margin. It is more memorable, and a little heavier on the melody, yet no less scathing. The music is spearheaded by the callous vocals of main man Stefan Sorghammer and ruthless, crisp riffs all the while being backed up by really loud, gnarly bass work and beastly drumming.

The music is your usual vigorous blend of Blood, Fire, Death/Hammerheart-era Bathory and Moonsorrow, with more than a solid pinch of Immortal. In other words, there are fast blast beat-heavy passages interspersed with mid-paced sections often complemented by choral arrangements, light keys, acoustic guitars and face-melting leads. The latter is something that sets them apart from their peers, and there is an edge of heavy and thrash metal to some of the riffs here that sets the stage for some ripping solos. Production-wise, the sound is icy, a little boxed in to make it more vicious-sounding, yet never lacking for clarity. This is needed considering all of the little nuances and heavy emphasis on the melody, but it does not compromise the merciless nature of the music.

Havukruunu's output over their relatively short career has been remarkable, and this one is no exception. Highly recommended.