Two years since the fantastic 'Verisäkeet', the mighty Moonsorrow return with their fifth full length effort 'V: Havitetty'. Moonsorrow are possibly one of the most consistently breath-taking bands to ever step up to the plate in the world of metal, and with this release (split into two huge tracks), the folksy Finns have again struck gold with another inspirational album brimming with all you would expect and more.

The traditional Moonsorrow 'wall of sound' is also back, allowing riff after riff to flow effortlessly, making the album's runtime pass in seemingly half its actual length (the mark of true musical craftsmen). Each song twists and turns, going through chameleonic changes which helps keeps the listener in awe through its entirety, eager to hear the next entwining chord arrangement. Epic is a word that's banded about fairly freely, especially when it comes to Viking or Folk metal. But to me, it fits no songs better than the two that make up this album - managing to paint an expansive soundscape with a palette of such broad spectrums that it'd make even the most hardened muso blush.

Rather than merely creating an album of musical material, Moonsorrow have always tried to push it to another level, stopping just short of physically wanting you to experience the sea spray as the burly Norseman's oars slice deep into the oceans glistening surface, and to feel rapture of Norse Mythology and Viking life - with 'V: Havitetty' their music creates all these scenes in the minds eye and more. Another stroke of genius from a band whose recent releases in particular are reassuringly stepping closer and closer to faultlessness.