Finland’s celebrated Von Hertzen Brothers have unveiled ‘Ascension Day’ along with a music video. This is the second single from their highly anticipated ninth studio album, In Murmuration, due for release on 25th October.
Watch the video for ‘Ascension Day’ here: https://youtu.be/q1NAo2NF4TY
Stream ‘Ascension Day’ here: https://vonhertzenbrothers.ffm.to/ascensionday.OPR
Pre-order In Murmuration here: https://linktr.ee/VonHertzenBrothers
Guitarist Kie von Hertzen comments on ‘Ascension Day’: “This one was written on a small island in Eastern Finland, right next to the Russian border on a crisp April morning. On the islets around the island, there was a huge cormorant colony and you could see many sea eagles soaring above the island in search of prey.
“The work-in-progress title for the song was ‘Bruce’ as the whole song is pretty much based on an uplifting riff, simple melody and a chord progression which somehow reminded me of ‘Born in the USA’. The storyteller has finally come out of the darkest place and is fulfilled with unrestrained compassion, love and gratitude for everything around him. Just being able to walk down the street on an average Monday makes him feel on top of the world as that’s been something unthinkable up until the very moment described in the song.”
New album In Murmuration follows the profound and epic journey of their acclaimed, pandemic-era masterpiece Red Alert in the Blue Forest (2022).
In Murmuration will be released on Von Hertzen Brothers‘ own label, DoingBeingMusic, on limited-edition crystal-clear vinyl gatefold LP, CD and digital. Merch bundles will be available from the band’s website. Pre-orders are available now.
Von Hertzen Brothers will play album launch shows in Finland and the UK at the end of 2024 before returning to the UK, Europe and the US, including Cruise to the Edge in spring 2025.
UK dates are as follows:
Nov 28: Troon Winter Storm Festival
Nov 29: Buckley The Tivoli
Nov 30: Trecco Bay Planet Rockstock
Dec 02: London The Garage
In true Von Hertzen Brothers style, In Murmuration creatively juxtaposes the band’s previous release. Whilst their imaginative, multi-genre hard rock and harmonies remain, the band’s artistic pendulum has swung more towards an air of optimism and renewal. The result is a work filled with big choruses, stadium rock anthems, art-rock with 90s vibes and catchy power-pop.
Whilst the themes within the album may not be as deliberately opinionated as on previous releases Red Alert in the Blue Forest and War is Over, there is a naturally occurring sense of constant change throughout. Precise and intriguing observations on the global political landscape, the tricky human relationships of this age, resilience and personal growth all provide lyrical subject matter. The first half of the album embodies a transformation of mood, bringing forth some positivity and love, and the second half journeys through challenging relationships, a literal call for change, separation, loss, longing and a final resolution.
Vocalist/guitarist Mikko von Hertzen says: “The shapes and the overall tone of the musical content on this album could be a bit surprising to some of our newer followers, but not to those who have been listening to us from the beginning. Musically speaking, we have proudly carried the cloaks of ‘prog-wizards’ for the last two albums, but what has not been so widely discussed lately is our ability to write good pop choruses and great catchy rock anthems with good vibes. We felt like it was now time to bring forth that side of us once again. The lyrical themes still deal with the everyday struggles of being humans in this f*cked up world, it’s a source that keeps on giving, but we wanted to step out of the forest and into the sunlight to mingle, discuss and celebrate. We live in an age of constant change where everyone is trying to find a secure footing in life, sometimes full of joy and sometimes filled with utter disappointment. Amid all that, the trick is to stay alert and lean to one another. Like starlings in murmuration. After the pandemic, and now as the world has once again opened, we have somehow felt lighter in our everyday lives. We acknowledge the contradiction of course, since the world with its horrors hasn’t changed much… It would have been easy to drown in those doomsday moods, but writing these songs we felt the need to tackle these problems from a more forgiving and positive standpoint.”
From the anthemic opener to the reflective closer, In Murmuration ebbs and flows much like the starlings after which it is named.
The instrumentation on this album has also evolved. The three brothers Mikko, Kie and Jonne, with drummer Sami Kuoppamäki, are joined by multi-instrumentalist Markus Pajakkala, who performed with the brothers on their acoustic tour in 2023. Notable for his saxophone solo on 2022’s ‘Peace Patrol’, Markus brings a new dynamic to the album. Guests on the album include a gospel ensemble and the Budapest Art Orchestra.
Now in their 23rd year, Von Hertzen Brothers have consistently delivered music on their own terms and In Murmuration is no exception. This is their third self-produced album, the others being the award-winning Approach (2006) and War is Over (2017).
Von Hertzen Brothers are:
Mikko von Hertzen – vocals, guitars
Kie von Hertzen – guitars, vocals
Jonne von Hertzen – bass, keyboards, vocals
Sami Kuoppamäki – drums
Markus Pajakkala – keyboards, woodwind
Von Hertzen Brothers online:
http://www.vonhertzenbrothers.com/
https://www.facebook.com/vonhertzenbrothersofficial
https://www.instagram.com/vonhertzenbrothers/
https://www.youtube.com/@VonHertzenBrothers
https://twitter.com/vonhertzenbros
https://www.tiktok.com/@vonhertzenbrothers
