HEXVESSEL

Finnish forest folk’s widescreen fourth album.

Formed in 2009 by former black metal warrior Mat McNerney, Hexvessel are like nature-freak David Bellamies of ‘wyrd’ folk, easily pictured rummaging in soil and, with the obvious exception of Mat’s singerpercussionist wife Marja, hollering joyously as they gorge their beards in dirt. Such is the (at times necessary) mischievous view of a band that like to quote Lord Byron and declare their music “the countryside singing from within me”. They’re up to their fourth album of widescreen forest folk, following 2011’s Dawnbearer, 2012’s No Holier Temple and 2016’s When We Are Death, kicking off a bit Steeleye Span with a capella Blessing before soil-stirring outings Son Of The Sky, Ancient Astronaut and Liminal Night. Along the way they endeavour to invoke an arcane pagan spirit, enhanced by Antti Haapapuro’s ‘found forest’ field recordings that include playing a dead tree branch with violin bow. Very earnest, like Dr Strangely Strange without the whimsical humour, yet hauntingly autumnal when bearded voices give way to sound paintings on Visions of AOS or rippling ballad Otherworld envoy. A worthy effort, even if it’s sometimes necessary to imagine someone sitting in a cowpat.