by Carina Lawrence / Dark Art Conspiracy

VORNA is a Finnish sextet formed in 2008 that concocts melancholic grand metal. They are back with their fourth album, “Aamunkoi”, their most melodic and ambitious offering yet. The album title translates as “Aurora”. In literature, this means “The Dawn”. In the far north, where VORNA come from, this is also the name for the phenomenon of the polar lights. The vocals are sung in the Finnish native language, which makes it more mysterious and compelling to those like me who aren’t Finnish. Still, I did have the lyrics translated into English, and as expected, the lyrics are bleak with a flicker of hope and beauty entwined – fitting for their sound and origin. The album’s central theme is survival in the uncertain world where the lucky ones who witness a new day have a chance to strive for a better future – when they still can.