VUOLLA - Blood.Stone.Sun.Down.

"A captivating listen!" - Terrorizer (UK), 8/10

"A refreshing album!" - Inferno Magazine (FIN), 3,5/5

"VUOLLA haben ein richtig starkes Doom-Epos erschaffen!" - Powermetal.de (D), 8,5/10

"Erinnert nicht selten an die Genrekollegen von Swallow The Sun, alte Katatonia oder Anathema!" - Musikansich (D)

"Ein wirklich interessantes Album!" - Handwritten Mag (D)

"Solide finnische Handwerkskunst!" - Metal Aschaffenburg (D)

"Dieses Album ist einfach nur traumhaft schön - wunderbar harmonisch und organisch! Ein großartiges Debüt!" - XXL Rock (D), 6/7

"Ein echt originelles Album!" - With Love, The Underground (D), 7,5/10

"Highly recommended if you're into Shape of Despair or Katatonia. Overall, a great listening experience!" - Doom-Metal.com, 9/10

"A very good quality debut album, with a great production!" - Ave Noctum (UK)

"A wealth of sounds
 combining elements of doom, death metal and post-rock!" - Kvlt (PL), 8/10

"Gutes Album!"
- Sonic Seducer (D)


"A passable entry from a band with potential!" - Zero Tolerance (UK)

"Einfach meisterhaft! Mit VUOLLA wird gerade etwas ganz Großes geboren!" - Legacy (D), 13/15

"Toll produzierter Gothic/Doom Metal zwischen frühen Anathema, Paradise Lost und The Gathering!" - Hell Is Open (D)

"VUOLLA manages to create a blend of different genres with diversity! Definitely recommended to the fans of darkness and doom!" - Tempelores (NL)

"Musik für schwermütige Stunden! Ein wirklich gelungenes Debut!" - Obliveon (D)

"M
asterful in its implementation!" - Metal World (BG)

"A challenging package!" - Imperiumi (FIN)

"This might become a top band in their style!" - Metalbrothers (E)

"The album breathes ultimate melancholy!" - Lords Of Metal (D), 79/100

"If you are looking for atmospheric/melancholic music with fresh ideas, look no further!" - Infernal Masquerade (USA), 93/100

"Wem es im Sommer zu hell und warm ist, der kann sich mit diesen finnischen Melancholic Doom-Deathern ein Stück des dunklen Herbstes ins Haus holen!" - Bleeding 4 Metal (D)

"If you are a fan of the doom metal genre this should be a great addition to your collection!" - Empire Extreme (USA)

"Genrefans sollten hier unbedingt mal reinhören!" - Deaf Forever (D)

"Ein hervorragendes Debüt! Unbedingt antesten!" - Metal-Inside (D)

"Das Quintett setzt mit seinem Gothic-Doom Akzente!" - Rock Hard (D)

"One of best debut albums! Absolute top class in their genre!" - Musika (BE), 100/100

"Brilliant compositions!" - Iyezine (IT)

"A new doom gem from Finland! Great debut with varied songs!" - White Room Reviews (NL)

"f you like your listening moments to feel like a kind of dreamlike journey with weeping instruments and often very bare and simple melodies, this will be your thing!" - Voices From The Darkside (GER)

INTERVIEWS

Musika (BE)

Legacy (D)

Metal1.info (D)
Zero Tolerance (UK)

REVIEWS
Stormbringer (A)

Musika (BE) - 100 von 100
Rock Tribune (BE) 

Metal World (BG)

Metal Factory (CH)

Powermetal.de (D) - 8,5 von 10

With Love, The Underground (D) - 7,5 von 10

Handwritten Mag (D) - 3,3 von 5

Musikansich (D) - 13 von 20

Metal Aschaffenburg (D) - 8 von 15

Bleeding 4 Metal (D) - 5,5 von 10

XXL Rock (D) - 6 von 7

Legacy (D) - 13 von 15 ; Soundcheck Platz 17 von 46

Hell Is Open (D), 7,5 von 10

Obliveon (D) - 7,5 von 10

Deaf Forever (D) - 7 von 10

Rock Hard (D) - 6,5 von 10 ; Soundcheck Platz 18 von 46

Metal-Inside (D)

Sonic Seducer (D) - Soundcheck 12 von 15

Music Scan (D) - 6 von 10

Metal.de (D) - 4 von 10

Voices From The Darkside (D)

Metal Hammer (D)

Doom Metal Front (D)

Power Of Metal (DK)

Metalbrothers (E) - 7,75 von 10

Queens Of Steel (E)

Inferno Magazine (FIN) - 3,5 von 5

Imperiumi (FIN) - 6 von 10
Kaaoszine (FIN)
Aux Portes Du Metal (F)

Rock Your Life (GR) - 6,6 von 10

Metalzone (GR) - 70 %

Metal Temple (GR) 

Rock Hard (GR)

Felvideki Magazin (HU) - 7 von 10

Iyezine (IT) - 7,7 von 10
Rock Hard (IT)
Metal Hammer (IT)

Metalhead (IT)

Iyezine (IT)

Metalitalia (IT) 

Tempelores (NL)

Lords Of Metal (NL) - 79 von 100

Aardschok (NL)

Wings Of Death (NL)

White Room Reviews (NL)

Zwaremetalen (NL)

Scream Magazine (NO) - 3 von 6

Metal Norge (NO)

Eternal Terror (NO)

Kvlt (PL) - 8 von 10

Ultraje (POR) - 6 von 10

Angry Metal Guy (SWE)

Close Up Magazine (SWE)

Terrorizer (UK) - 8 von 10

Doom-Metal.com (UK) - 9 von 10

Ave Noctum (UK) - 7 von 10

Zero Tolerance (UK) - 3 von 6

Iron Fist Magazine (UK)

Powerplay (UK)

Infernal Masquerade (USA) - 93 von 100

Empire Extreme (USA)

.....

 

 

RADIO-AIRPLAY

Seeds Of Doom (A)

Progressive X Grooves Radio (BE)

Z-Rock Radio, Brutallica Show (BG)

Radio Rüsselsheim, IG Metal (D)

FR Kassel, Devil's Kitchen (D)

Rock Chicks Radio (D)

Zosh, Nürnberg (D)
Rock Station Kiel (D)
Canal B, Metal Injection (F)

Radio Mercure, Decibles (F)
Radio Rock (FIN)

....


TEXTE

Doom-Metal.com
Vuolla are a Finnish five-piece band. Their name, when translated means "carve" or "whittle", and their style can be described as Post-Rock to Death Metal. We, however, still get the crossover into Doom Metal and the various elements within the music. So, after several lonely years in the wilderness this is their full-length début, entitled 'Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.'

The band cover many different emotions throughout the album, such as death and sorrow. The album consists of everything you would expect nowadays: we have heavy growling and clean female vocals throughout the eight tracks, accompanied by sweeping majestic keys. Personally, I find it a definite step up from the 2011 EP, At the Edge of Mist, but with them still keeping the core elements that make them who they are.

The opening track 'Death Incredible' is a very solid start to the album. The song starts slowly with clean mournful guitar. You kind of know that something big is going to happen, and it duly does when the guitars come crashing in. I like the building and the entwining of riffs as they prepare you for the onslaught that awaits. I love the feel of this song, and it sets you in the mood for the rest of the album. Keyboardist Kati Kallinen delivers soft clean vocals that do seem to struggle a little against the heavier riffs. Maybe they could have tried to thicken them up a bit, or play more with harmonies, because when you hear the vocals with a bit more weight to them then they really add that little bit extra. I'm not complaining, because personally I'm a sucker for female vocals on heavy music, and love them. Kalle Korhonen's heavy vocals compound the misery, and I enjoyed his delivery on display. Each track is over 7 minutes long - so there's plenty to get your teeth into, and some of the riffs in particular could have come straight from Ahab. It's always hard to be considered unique these days, as most bands get compared to some former band, but Vuolla have the creativity to stand alone. 'Shadow Layer', for example, is a beautifully layered song of emotions. Again, though, a more powerful voice (or adding heavier vocals underneath) could have really added to this on certain parts. Still, the keys sweep behind the guitars, and you just float helplessly along with the timing of each section, which is perfect. The lead guitars cut through, and gives the songs a bit of an edge to them. A lot of complaints I saw were about the length of the tracks, and that they were overly stretched out, but I never felt this and really enjoyed each one. In fact, I did not want some to end - and hit repeat as soon as they did. I really liked the building of structures towards the end of various songs. This is a great relaxing chill-out album, but still has enough punch to make you take notice and bash your head to. The track 'Film' has catchy piano and a faster pace to it midway through. This is another favourite of mine. It builds and builds, and driving home from a hard day's slog, it was perfect to just unwind with and leave all the dirt behind. The drums and bass keep a solid foundation going all the way through. The mix and production is great and I can't really fault it: all the little bits of added guitar are superb and you can still hear them in the mix; nothing is lost. I would like to see more experimentation with the vocals between them, and more harmonies. It would only benefit the feel of the songs. I would highly recommend this band, if you're into Shape of Despair or Katatonia. Overall, a great listening experience, and Vuolla have been added to my favourites.

http://www.doom-metal.com/reviews.php?album=2956


Ave Noctum (UK)
This is Vuolla’s first full length release, and it is indeed an epic affair. If I told you that Vuolla were from a rural town in Southern Finland, surrounded by lakes, I wonder if you could guess the genre? Give yourself a point, if you guessed that some kind of epic doom/death was involved! From the country that brought us Swallow The Sun, we have Vuolla – equally as grand in their musical vision, but not quite as glossy and melodic.

Vuolla fuse crushing, epic and well-produced Doom/Death with a drifting, rather creepy take on Post-Rock. They’ve added several , disparate elements to create quite a melting pot of metal; as well as vast, epic death growls and crushing, doom-laden riffs, there are also layers of quite high-pitched keyboards which remind me more of church organs. There are also clean, mournful vocals courtesy of Kati K, who also plays the keyboards, as well as many twisted, eerie clean guitar arpeggios. This isn’t a carbon copy of Swallow The Sun, that’s for sure. Many of the songs are lengthy, and in their finer moments, it feels like watching the end of the world in slow motion. When the crushing, slow motion guitar riffs, keyboards and dual vocals all come together in perfection, it is immensely powerful. Sometimes it seems to almost have the epic, lush quality of bands like Within Temptation and The Gathering, and at other times it is raw, dark and grim, especially when they introduce the dissonant, mysterious guitar arpeggios, which they use to good effect. Throughout all tracks, is a constant thread of the utmost melancholy; this is doom which really does sound sad, bitter and bleak. I guess their own description of `Post Rock/Doom Death’ fits well enough, although it doesn’t really do enough justice to their sound. There really are some amazing, epic moments on this album, both the huge, crushing doom passages, and also the grim, bleak minimalism they like to include. However, my main criticism is that it is not all that varied; one song does to my ears sound very much like another, and when each song is a similar pace and length, the album does tend to merge into one long experience. They do shift from minimalism to full-on doom, but this is done in the same way on each track, and so over time, loses its impact somewhat. That said, it is certainly a very good quality debut album, with a great production. In time, with an even more varied approach to the song writing they could achieve some really great things.

http://www.avenoctum.com/2016/06/vuolla-blood-stone-sun-down-schwarzdorn/


Legacy
VUOLLA „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.“
(Schwarzdorn/Soulfood)
Genre: The Last Phase Of Losing The Trust
Inspiriert von den dunklen und frostigen Wintern des Nordens reihen sich die Finnen gekonnt in die Riege großer Doom Death Metal-Bands wie Swallow The Sun, Ghost Brigade (beide aus derselben Stadt wie VUOLLA), Solstafir, Katatonia und My Dying Bride ein. „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down“ ist das erdrückend schwere Debütalbum der Finnen, welches mit meilenweiten Soundlandschaften, gefühlsvollen, traumhaft melancholischen Doom-Pfaden und aggressiven, fast wahnsinnigen Death/Black Metal-Parts sehr zu überzeugen weiß. Die Mischung aus weiblichen Clean-Vocals und den männlichen Growls (My Dying Bride-Aaron lässt grüßen!) erzeugt die reinste Gänsehaut, dazu die umwerfende Sounduntermalung – einfach meisterhaft! Das sehr melancholische, mit einem mörderischen Riff aufwartende, erdrückend schwere 'Chambers To Fill With Longing', das sehr aufwühlende, mitreißende 'Rain Garden', das erbarmungslos über einen hinweg ziehende Epos 'Quit Cold' oder das zu Beginn sehr Death-Metal-In-your-face-lastige, zerstörerisch stampfende 'Emperor' sind die reinsten schwarzen Knospen der Vollkommenheit. Hier wird auf sehr hohen Niveau Musik gemacht. Genregemäß sehr ausgiebige Songlängen, ohne abzudriften, und der gelungene Spagat zwischen Doom und Death machen „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down“ schon jetzt zu einem der Alben-Highlights des Jahres. Mit VUOLLA wird gerade etwas ganz Großes geboren! Lauschlappen-Orgasmusfaktor: 'Quit Cold'.(MLA)
13 Punkte



Empire Extreme (USA)

Life, relationships, sorrow and lost are some of the topics that Finnish doom metal band Vuolla cover on their latest release Blood.Stone.Sun.Down. A combination of growling and clean female vocals, heavy guitar, and mid to slow tempo drums push this album for 8 tracks. BSSD is the first full length album for Vuolla, following up a previous released EP, At the Edge of Mist, in 2011.Vuolla Empire Extreme reviewThe track ‘Emperor’ shows the abilities of Vuolla by starting off with heavy yet melodic guitar riffs and vocalist Kalle Korhonen’s aggressive style of singing. The song drives on to a lead guitar riff to break up the drone like rhythm, before turning to the melodic. A marching beat being pounded out on the drums accompanied by a slight bit of keyboards joined by Kati Kallinen, whose angelic voice is a refreshing turn for this track. The song begins to pick up tempo as the guitars come back in heavy. To finish out the track Kalle belts out a series growling vocals till the band stops.

In many ways Vuolla reminds me of older My Dying Bride and older Katatonia releases. Sticking to the doom metal style while bringing a talented female voice is a unique take on the genre. However, with following the doom metal style, many new listeners may find this band to be long winded at times playing parts out for a lengthy period of time. Most of the tracks on this album exceed the 6-minute mark including one track this is closer to 12 minutes.Blood.Stone.Sun.Down is a well put together album, the production is top notch as the vocals stand out without being over bearing on the track. The guitars while using an array of effects come off very clear and not muddy throughout the album. If you are a fan of the doom metal genre this should be a great addition to your collection.

http://www.empireextreme.com/vuolla-blood-stone-sun-down-review/


Lords of Metal (NL)

Finnish Vuolla has inked a deal with Schwarzdorn Production and releases its full length debut album ‘Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.’ after earlier releases of three demos. When we reviewed the demo ’Rivers In Me’, we mentioned that Vuolla was a band to keep an eye on. Anyways, they have loads of inspiration, since this album has a length of 67 minutes and the songs are really long. The band plays doom metal with a low-pitched death growl of Kalle Korhonen, while Kati Kallinen sings the lion’s share of vocals with her frail, dreamy voice. She is also prominently present on keyboards. Furthermore one can hear a bit post-rock influences and obviously the album breathes ultimate melancholy.

The songs have a natural flow, going from cautious slow yet distorted plucking guitars with soft female vocals to eruptions with momentum, while towards the end they mostly fade out with dream-like sounds. Now and then male grunts add a rougher zest to the entire thing. Just like on the demo, we have the impression that guitars are a bit snowed under by keyboards, although it results in a special approach. The long instrumental passages are sometimes very beautiful and soaring. Tips to listen to: ‘Emperor’ (with a majority of male vocals) and ‘Shadow Layer’ (with a proper guitar solo, does not occur often). When you are a fan of their fellow townsmen Swallow The Sun, then check out Vuolla as well.
http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/en/reviews/view/id/32349


Infernal Masquerade (USA)
Hailing from Finland, today we have the promising debut release “Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.” of melancholic outfit Vuolla. Perfectly blending elements of Gothic/Death Doom with melancholic Depressive Rock, this band manages to deliver over 60 minutes of truly emotive music. Focusing on crafting lush melancholic songs, the band will surely appeal to all fans of bands like Katatonia, Draconian, and everything in between. Opening with the super bleak intro to “Death Incredible”, the band instantly reminded us of Svarti Loghin. This song nicely transitions into a more straightforward Gothic Doom piece perfectly blending Kati Hämäläinen’s vocals and keyboards with powerful Doom riffs. In a more traditional Gothic Doom fashion, the disarming “Emperor” is one hell of a rollercoaster ride which features a brilliant atmospheric passage around the 4 minute mark that will instantly get you hooked into the band’s sound.The Draconian/My Drying Bride influences are quite high with “Chambers to Fill With Longing” and the brilliant “Rain Garden”. Our favorite track in this album is the completely depressive “Shadow Layer”, where the tempo perfectly evolves with the atmospheric nature of this song. One of the strengths of the band is their ability to craft very emotionally powerful and diverse tracks while avoiding the typical repetitiveness of the genres they are influenced by. Continuing their riffing onslaught, tracks like “Rivers in Me” and “Film” perfectly balance crushing Doom riffs with the fragile nature of the band’s atmospheric keyboards and Kati’s vocals. The growls do a great job in rounding things up and keeping the contrast between the male and female vocals. Closing with the hypnotic “Quite Cold”, the band left us quite impressed with their musical direction and brilliant execution. If you are looking for atmospheric/melancholic music with fresh ideas, look no further and pick up a copy of “Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.”.

http://www.infernalmasquerade.com/?q=reviews/003142-vuolla-%E2%80%93-blood-stone-sun-down-2016


Deaf Forever
VUOLLA                7

Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.

Schwarzdorn/Soulfood

SZ: 66:09/VÖ: bereits erschienen

Stil: Doom Metal

Die Finnen VUOLLA existieren bereits seit 2009, sind aber nach diversen Singles und EPs erst jetzt mit ihrem ersten Album am Start. Very Doom indeed. Stilistisch gesehen schwenken die Skandinavier zwischen Funeral Doom und Death Doom, gepaart mit weiblichem Gesang. Eine interessante Kombination, welche die langen Doom-Hymnen sehr belebt. Kleines Manko ist allerdings die etwas dünne Stimme von Sängerin Kati Hämäläinen, welche sich gegen die Growls öfter nicht durchsetzen kann, aber auch nicht zerbrechlich genug ist, um sich davon abzusetzen. Dies soll aber nicht als entscheidende Kritik zu sehen sein, denn auf Albumdauer wirkt das Zusammenspiel der Gesänge sehr harmonisch, nur fehlt der Dame ab und zu die Ausstrahlung. Typisch finnisch sind die im positiven Sinne sehr spröden und reduzierten Songs. Dies wird hervorragend von der eiskalten Produktion abgerundet. Genrefans sollten hier unbedingt mal reinhören.

OLIVER WEINSHEIMER


Rock Hard

VUOLLA
Blood.
Stone. Sun. Down.
Schwarzdorn/Soulfood (66:08)
VÖ: bereits erschienen
Statt einen weiteren gesichtslosen Schnellschuss abzugeben, haben sich VUOLLA Zeit für dieses Debütalbum gelassen und schlagen dem Einerlei ihrer Szene ein Schnippchen. Klar, auch „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.“ wird musikalisch wie inhaltlich von Schwermut geprägt, wie es bei finnischen Bands üblich ist, aber das Quintett setzt mit seinem Gothic Doom Akzente. Es folgt beim Songwriting weder gängigen Mustern noch dem Ruf der Masse nach mehr Schönklang aus dem Land der tausend Seen. Die bis zu zwölf Minuten langen Stücke bestechen durch einen klugen Aufbau, ohne dass sich richtig packende „Hits“ herauskristallisieren (letztlich das größte Problem der Platte), und lassen sich als stimmige Ergänzung zur letzten Scheibe der jüngsten Trilogie von Swallow The Sun begreifen, wobei die dünne Stimme von Keyboarderin Kati hier und dort das einzige Manko darstellt.
Andreas Schiffmann
6,5




Metal-Inside
Wer atmosphärischen, melodischen Doom Metal mit melancholischer Depri-Rock Schlagseite sucht, wird bei den (natürlich!) aus Finnland stammenden VUOLLA sicherlich fündig werden: „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.“ ist das erste Album der Band und überrascht mehr als positiv. Während sich der Opener „Death Incredible“ mit verträumten weiblichen Vocals und etwas stärkerer Post Rock-Schlagseite ganz langsam und progressiv aufbaut, macht das folgende „Emperor“ seinem Namen alle Ehre: Tiefe Growls und mächtiger Doom mit ziemlich geilen Riffs lassen zunächst ziemlich an die Landsmänner SWALLOW THE SUN denken, bis der Song sich ab der Mitte vollkommen ändert weibliche und männliche Vocals und einige Post Rock-Passagen geschickt kombiniert, und schließlich so düster wie er begann endet. Dieses Schema ist auf der „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.“ durchaus häufiger anzutreffen wobei die Finnen jedoch nie eintönig werden oder sich doppeln, dafür aber viel experimentieren und vornehmlich eine tiefe, drückende Atmosphäre erschaffen. In Songs wie dem elfminütigem „Rivers In Me“, oder „Film“ bringen VUOLLA vieles auf den Punkt und entführen den Hörer auf magische Weise, so dass 66 Minuten Spielzeit in Windeseile verfliegen – trotz Doom und Langsamkeit. VOULLA ist mit „Blood. Stone. Sun. Down.“ Ein hervorragendes Debüt geglückt, dass jeder der auf Depri/Doom/Post Rock aus dem hohen Norden steht unbedingt antestensollte. Ich werde VOULLA auf jeden Fall im Auge behalten!
http://www.metalinside.de/review/vuolla/blood-stone-sun-down



Voices From The Darkside
VUOLLA are from Finland and play a kind of heavily atmospheric depressive Metal, slow and very melodic, at times minimalistic, to the point of just a guitar or bass being heard, and beautiful innocent sounding female vocals alternating with Death / Doom guttural vocals (a "beauty and the beast" mixture we can say almost traditional in their homeland). Rarely, they go into heavier and more usual melodic Death / Doom territory, such as in 'Emperor', but halfway through the song they return to the prevalent ambient minimalism of slow music with depressive keyboards and that nice female vocalist singing about emotions and stuff. I am reminded of stuff like TIAMAT, AMORPHIS, ANATHEMA, I'm sure you get the picture. In 'Rain Garden', a track heavily reliant in the slower, more emotional side, the female vocals and the keyboards even bring to mind some 70s Rock bands, but with the instruments slowed down and tuned down to the extreme. They are good performers within their very particular style, with some standout tunes such as ‘Rivers In Me’, a track with more than 11 minutes released as a single back in 2012. Very often, though, I feel astounded at how slow they manage to go, and how long they keep at it. If you like your listening moments to feel like a kind of dreamlike journey with weeping instruments and often very bare and simple melodies, this will be your thing. If you are looking for heavy, aggressive Metal on the other hand, this may prove to be a large chunk to swallow, with its lengthy torpid songs topping one hour of music. The heavier and faster moments are few are far between, and the majority of the music is really extremely calm and lethargic.
http://www.voicesfromthedarkside.de/Albums-EPs-Demos/V/VUOLLA--10467.html