Finland has become a veritable hotbed of talent for doom and stoner bands. A bright example of that is Craneium, a Finnish fuzz-rock quartet whose upcoming third album, Unknown Heights, is the subject of our review today.
It has become increasingly easy for bands to put out professional-sounding albums in this day and age; the means to make/produce a record being so accessible—a label is no longer necessary to release a quality product. On the flip side of that coin, there’s a plethora of new bands popping up year after year in what was already a crowded genre/market for music, that it has become progressively more difficult for bands to craft a sound/brand to stand out from the rest of the pack. Craneium have succeeded with flying colors in that respect, creating a unique sound for themselves, especially with Unknown Heights, which feels like they’ve fully come into their own with this record, their debut with label The Sign Records.
The record kicks off with “A Secret Garden”, which was also the first single off the album. It’s a hell of a catchy desert rock-infused opener, with riffs galore. “Somber Aeons” follows; reflective, melodic, spacey at times, with beautiful use of keys (organ?) to add layers to this gem of a song. “Weight to Carry”, a heavier cut, perfectly blends in with the former song, and is the longest track, running at nearly seven and a half minutes. The fourth track, or first of Side 2, depending on how you’re listening to it, is the second single, “Shine Again”. With wonderful vocal harmonies and splendid songwriting, it makes this one the most accessible song on the album and a definite highlight. “The Devil Drives”, the penultimate song, is my personal favorite. Short, punchy, it’s got some hella cool bass, and is just an altogether really fun song about what playing in an indie band for years feels like. Seriously though, that bassline slays and there’s a great guitar solo too! It will be the third single off the album. Things come to an end with the title track, “Unknown Heights”. It caps things off on a strong note, with a terrific psychedelic vibe and hints of prog rock for an all-around stellar closer for this 36-minute sonic trek.
I’ve listened to Unknown Heights over half a dozen times so far and I keep hearing new subtleties with every new listen. I liked it from the get-go, but now it has grown into one of my favorite albums of the year. It’s certainly their most accomplished record yet. If you’re not familiar with Craneium, then you should definitely remedy that and head over to YouTube to listen to their first two singles (links below). You can pre-order/pick up a copy of Unknown Heights when it will be released on October 15th.
Craneium’s Bandcamp page: https://craneiumband.bandcamp.com/album/unknown-heights
Video for “A Secret Garden” on YouTube
Video for “Shine Again” on YouTube
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