Sometimes it can take a bit for a band’s sound to fully develop, while others come to the table with a natural foundation from that first album. Danish doom band Maunah is a great example of the latter, as its members came together from a wide range of other acts within the rock, folk, and metal spaces and set out writing expansive and emotive doom. After releasing a three-track EP titled Heimaland last year, the group struck a deal with Prophecy Productions and re-tooled that release into a full-length titled Hjarta. Across its six tracks, Hjarta establishes a dense and somber tone that occasionally whips things up into a more aggressive cadence, and while it does have a couple rough edges this remains a fantastic foundation that Maunah has built in a short time.
“Heimaland” kicks things off and gives listeners a pretty good idea of Maunah’s core sound, which moves between somber and more introspective passages to big, booming grooves where the weight of the instrumentals can really be felt. The tone has this warm and inviting feel initially that draws you in before things shift over to a more aggressive cadence, and the way that the song progresses gives off a doom meets post metal feel with some modern metal flourishes thrown in for good measure. This back and forth is used effectively throughout Hjarta, especially on tracks like “Theinaju” where the first half is more subdued and lets softer melodies beckon you in before exploding into a wall of sound where more jagged guitar riffs and crashing drums leave destruction in their wake. Post metal and traditional doom feel like good reference points throughout, but the transitions between the two and the soft/heavy dynamic makes the band’s approach a bit harder to put firmly into these boxes. This is especially true on “Saivør”, where things start off with a methodical, lumbering cadence and a darker atmosphere but temporarily shifts to a much faster and aggressive tempo that’s a bit more death metal sounding. There are some incredible peaks on this album, and some of the moments where the band ramps up the aggression prove to be just as memorable as the soaring melodies. Admittedly there are a few rough edges to Hjarta, as “Solin vaugna” has a few sections where the instruments sound slightly off sync from each other and the title track stretches outward a bit longer than it needs to. But everything else about this album has drawn me back regularly, and the way the grooves fuse into the melancholic doom foundation proves to be a winning combination.
Søren Sol Koldsen-Zederkof’s singing is likely to be another big element that draws people to Maunah’s material, as he has one of those voices that balances powerful and airier tones. When you press play his approach initially has more of an Eddie Vedder pitch to it, which had me thinking I might be in for an album of grunge tinged doom, but after the first minute and a half things transition over to a higher pitched and moodier style. Here I’m reminded of Serj Tankian meets some of the more classic doom vocalists, and it’s this interesting melding of vocal ranges that come off as a bit more unique compared to what I’ve heard in the genre in recent memory. There’s a lot of emotion behind every verse, and it’ll have you hanging on every word even if you don’t speak the band’s language. “Saivør” shakes things up further with harmonized singing and even some quick bursts of growling on the death metal sounding section, making for a performance that’s quite dynamic. It’s clear that Søren Sol Koldsen-Zederkof has some real charisma, and I’m excited to hear how Maunah continues to leverage him as they continue.
On their debut Maunah takes the somber atmosphere of Scandivanian doom and infuses some post metal, heavier grooves, and some hints of prog to create something that stands out. There are a few rough spots and the shifts between the heavier grooves and soaring peaks does result in some patterns that are a bit too similar, but I’ve still found myself drawn back to this one on a regular basis. The power and nuance of the vocals really make a big difference, and with this strong of a foundation in place I’m excited to see where they can take it on a follow-up. Hjarta is available from Prophecy Productions.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
