Richard HolmesThey were one of Finland’s best kept secrets. They’re now revered in the extreme metal underground. And with their fourth album, Tavastland, Havukruunu are taking their blackened mini-epics one step further.
On the eve of its release, Rich Holmes dug deep into Tavastland with chief songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Stefan Sorghammer.
Rushonrock: Tavastland was inspired by the Tavastians rebellion against the Catholic church, which took place in 1236-1237. What steered the lyrical direction of the record – when did you become interested in telling the story of the Tavastians’ revolt?
Stefan Sorghammer: I am reading and researching all the time. I don’t recall the exact moment of connecting those dots, but I immersed myself in old Tavastian poetry, history books – the oldest were from the 1800s, I think – and a lot of Romanticism-era Finnish art, music and literature.
Rushonrock: How do you feel the band has evolved since your last album, 2020’s Uinuos syömein sota?
Stefan Sorghammer: Well Humö is back on bass guitar and has helped me tremendously with the new album. Our lives seem to be a bit more balanced too which helps! We’re also still try to push our boundaries as players.
Rushonrock: How does Tavastland stack up compared to your previous work?
Stefan Sorghammer: I always hoped to achieve ‘uneasy listening’ but alas, Tavastland is very accessible and neat! It sounds good, it’s played really well, it has layers to it, and it holds up to repeated listening.
Rushonrock: Talking of accessibility, this time around, there are a few songs, such as Unissakävijä and Yönsynty, where the leadwork has a ‘classic rock’ feel. We’ve not really heard that from Havukrunnu before… what’s changed?
Stefan Sorghammer: I have written like that always and I felt I should incorporate that into Havukruunu too. I don’t know why I have kept this to myself, maybe I was shy about it. Fear of ridicule is crippling and anyone struggling with anxiety knows that, but I guess it’s not that dangerous. I’d rather express myself authentically than keep to one style only. That’d be stupid.
But yeah, I’m slowly easing our listeners into more styles of music.
Rushonrock: Your writing has always had an epic, evocative feel – how do you put yourselves in the frame of mind to write like that? Are there any particular influences or experiences that you draw on?
Stefan Sorghammer: I am very inspired by Finnish music, art and literature of the romantic era – Jean Sibelius, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Albert Edelfelt, Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Eino Leino and the like. I am but a vessel to night-folk and whispers of the woodland ghosts, and I don’t do it fully consciously, as I am in trance.
Rushonrock: 20 years into your career, is there a moment you are particularly proud of?
Maybe Tavastland. Or maybe finding the guts to be somebody.
Rushonrock: Do you see Havukruunu as a black metal band, as many people do?
Stefan Sorghammer: No, and I never did. At best it was black metal-ish, and I believe we have been beyond that a long time. Havukruunu is very heavy and highly evocative and emotional metal.
Of course, classic black metal has influenced us and still does. But I didn’t originally give a fuck about being labelled as ‘pagan black metal’ etc. What does it even mean? Can black metal be pagan? I thought it should be inherently Satanic music!
Rushonrock: Finland’s contribution to metal has been astounding – and continues to be so. Are there any emerging bands from the Finnish scene that you particularly admire?
Stefan Sorghammer: No, not really. I’d like to see people writing outside the box. I am yet to see someone do shit for real. I like (Finnish death metal band) Malicious, though, they are disgustingly twisted!
Tavastland is out on February 28 via Svart Records.
Havukruunu photos by Heidi Kosenius.