Tarujen Saari - Sota kirottu!

I'm having nightmares, and I shouldn't. Over wet, hilly ground I'm being pursued by galloping, steaming horses; the land all around is covered with bones. And the soundtrack is this CD by Tarujen Saari (roughly, "The Island of Legends"), Sota Kirottu! The fourth full-length recording by this exciting Finnish quintet, Sota Kirottu! ('Damned War!') is a concept album circling around the themes of war and horses and the chosen repertoire is powerful.

What makes Tarujen Saari slightly different from other Nordic bands is that they focus on medieval traditions from all across Europe, so the tunes and songs are re-arranged from Scottish, English, French, Italian, Swedish, and Finnish sources. In keeping with these olden roots, the band sticks to acoustic instrumentation, but theirs is no parlor-music interpretation. Rather, the arrangements are often loud and downright creepy, which fits the overall aura of the album perfectly. Listeners enamored of Garmarna or Hedningarna would find themselves thrilled by Tarujen Saari (indeed, Sota Kirottu! was produced by Pekka Lehti, a former member of Värttinä), and as befits those similar Nordic bands the voice of Kaisa Saari is so crystalline that she stands above the musical fray.

I'd venture to say that Sota Kirottu! bears a bit of resemblance to classic French folk-rock band Malicorne. It is not just the omnipresence of the hurdy-gurdy (ably played by Tapio Mattlar), but also the inclusion of two anti-war songs associated with Malicorne: "Sota Kirottu!" (also known as "Prince D'Orange") and "Pierre de Grenoble." Both songs involve a protagonist who heads off to war, but who returns remarkably changed; for the poor Prince, he arrives back in France mortally wounded.

But clearly, if one is going to cover fairly well-known folk tunes, it is to a band's benefit to interpret those songs in a fresh manner. Tarujen Saari succeed by making their music, ostensibly anti-war, sound as war-like, haunting, and dark as possible. I'm at a loss for most of the lyrics, as translations are not included; but if I were to judge the album purely on its sonic merits, I would be stocking cans in the basement as if the plague were coming. Amongst my favorite tracks would be their terrifying version of "Henry Martin" ("Merille Rosvoamaan"), a classic Scottish folk song about a man turned pirate. The clanking, grinding background accompaniment sets a perfect atmosphere for the remainder of the album. Likewise, "Sotaratsu" makes for medieval-pop, as the band breathes collective sighs during the hurdy-gurdy soloing.

It is certainly a delight to know, after so many extraordinary releases in the Finnish and Swedish folk revivals, that there is still new ground to be ploughed. Tarujen Saari do so here, on the scythe-edge of medieval spookiness.

(Lee Blackstone, www.rootsworld.com)

This is the fourth album by the group, with a very consistent sound. Even when I don’t understand a word it gives a feeling one can easily understand the music, from an English folk(rock) viewpoint. It has as comparable flavour to it, even when it is completely Finnish. I notice at least two old European traditionals, like “Henry Martin” ("Merille Rosvoamaan") and “Le Prince D’Orange” ("Sota Kirottu"), and "Pierre De Grenoble", ("Viimeinen suudelma") all sung in Finish. The stylistic origins (medieval European, and Finnish) fit and mix well together. There has been used a great variety of European folk instruments, and some ethnic instruments like sitar, bouzouki and saz. All tracks are sung by a beautiful female voice. The acompaniment is like folk music with an extra folkrock strength developped with contrasting elements, but never too arranged. Very enjoyable from beginning to end!

(progressive.homestead.com)

An amazing release full of acoustic instruments and an ancient feeling that the music here awakes on the listener. There are certain classical and folk influences here with some sort of nordic feeling too which is essentil in this type of bands.

Kaisa Saari has an amazing voice with a middle soprano range that is the voice that this type of music must have, extremely melodic but at the same time with a deep range on it.

The lyrics in finnish language fit perfectly the rest of the music. Plus, the use of typical isntruments takes us directly to a finnish town with their sound and melodies.

Violas and violins create melodies with a certain nordic folklore quality. Anything here has magic. The kind of magic tht good music has, letting your imagination flow, even if you don´t know the language tht is spoken here. A must for any music lover.

(www.musicextreme.com)

I still don't know how this album came in my hands but I must thank the person that send it to me. This is not a metal album, so all the strictly metal heads just don't read more of this review! Tarujen Saari, is a folk band from Finland. Everything in this release is in Finnish, so I didn't understand a word (No comprento Espanol? lol). From the lyrics to the name of the band and from the title tracks to the title of the album. DAMN!

Because I am not into so much in folk music, I can't write a lot of things? I kinda like it even if it isn't metal music of course. The music and the instruments aren't electric, only natural and acoustic instruments. A very good offer for early in the morning waking up or during your work.

(Antonis Maglaras, www.thetempleofmetal.gr)

Tarujen Saari - Levoton hauta

Strange that this group went relatively unnoticed here in Western Europe. When I heard the first track, "Pirunpolska" it sounded surely as powerful as Hedningarna, Garmarna, Värttinä, the Scandinavian groups often mentioned here. The sound in general on this release is mostly powerfully, with a few times a more gentle arrangement, but not with any repetitive method and patterns. There are quiet songs (tr.2), more heavy ones (tr.1), medieval folkrock tracks (tr.3), one track with additional sitar to give it actually a middle eastern or something touch (tr.4),.. Also traditional styles have been arranged very freshly, in a splendid folkrock style (as on tr.5). 6th track "Riminin Veljesmurat" has additional string chamber arrangements. The tracks following have more modest and gentle arrangements. "Koululaismuhaaja / L'écolier Assasin" surprises again in its arrangements. It contains apart from acoustic guitars, beautiful female vocals & violin, a child choir, some furious second violin, hurdygurdy and distorted electric bass touches.

Another very fine release of a talented country for folk music.

(Gerald Van Waes, psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com)