Finnish fuzzers turn to the dark side
Listening to the first track on this debut full-length from Craneium, who hail from a little village in the South West of the country near to the fabulously named city of Turku, you are left with a couple of questions.
First, you wonder just what the hell kind of mind altering substances have made five kids from what is apparently Finland’s bible belt turn to the dark side in such a fashion (although, believe us, you’ll be thanking whatever they are) and second, you will probably wonder what on earth and imperial duster is.
For now we only know that it is the title of the opener, and you will know that it is superb by the time it’s finished its journey into riffs and imagery that early Sabbath might have rejected for being just too scary.
Other than that, with “Explore The Void” it is probably best to begin at the end and work backwards, because there is definite feeling here that the “Ceasing To Exist” is what Craneium will make their stock in trade once they’ve found their feet.
A glorious nine minutes that is heavy, fuzzy, psychedelic and genuinely unsettling – any song that has this line at its heart: “I spoke my mind/did you smoke yours?” and furthermore faces death head on with not so much a smile but what appears to be genuine relish would be – is a record that only real outsiders could make.
Indeed, its tempting to imagine this unconventional five piece (like a heavy rock version of The Beatles they don’t bother with a singer, instead all take it in turns) living on some weird commune preparing for the end of the world. If they were, then “Meet On Mars” would be the National Anthem. “Holy Oath” chugs along, talking about “bad, bad trips” and summoning Satan, “Tzar Bomber” is a study in bass heavy riffs and explores the lighter side of this particular void, floating long as it does, and who the hell knows where the inspiration for “Demon Of The Sands” came from, but you can be pretty certain that you don’t want to find out.
The thing about Craneium is that they know all of this has been basically done before, and it probably won’t come as a shock to them if we say that this sounds a bit like Sabbath jamming with Pentagram, but listen to “Dr Plague” and defy yourself not to get caught in its wonderful web, and if MV could make a suggestion it would be to not listen “Witch Coven” – which by the way adds a bluesy element to the apocalypse – before you go to bed.
Craneium probably live like this too. While you’re watching a box set on Sky, they are doing well, this. And these are the tales they have to tell.
Originally released last year, it is now picked up by Ripple Music, and you need to hear this. Even if it is a little frightening.
Rating 9/10
