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The first time I heard Häive, it was on a split CD with country mates Wyrd and Kehrä. That was just an appetizer, creating the need to listen to some more.Well, the full length has now landed home!

Finnish composer/musician Varjosielu handles, once again, all the lyrics and music as well as the visual arts included in the booklet. One more very talented and real artist from the amazing European underground scene. Although "Mieli Maassa" is Häive's debut release, three demos were made since the band started in late 2002. I liked the acoustic/folksy tones that could be heard on the split CD, so I was expecting perhaps a bit more of it this time around. The cover art kind of pointed that way too. Well, this album is heavier than I would have thought, even slightly in the crushing/doom direction. This doesn't mean no heathenly/folksy parts were included though. Actually, some stringed instrument called kantele (self-made 10 strings) opens the album and can be heard on a couple of occasions. It is with great hearing pleasures that acoustic guitars grace some of my favorite numbers: "Raina: Yömyrsky" (along with mouth harp) and the closing track "Raina: Kurjat Kurjet" (long lasting acoustic intro here). During the heavier parts, epic leads and clean vocals are present, echoing the more heathen style of this new Finnish act.

Häive is a cool Scandinavian band to discover, with brand new music from the woods.