“North from Here” is the second album by SENTENCED, released on June 1st, 1993, via Spinefarm Records. The band does not need any introduction, as their name is likely to be considered one of the Finnish metal scene’s all-time most important. Formed in Muhos in 1989, not far from Oulu, the act went through at least three different phases and as many lineup changes, and eventually disbanded in 2005, but their legacy is still alive nowadays. The album’s title is quite evocative and summarizes pretty well what the opus is about. Moreover, it sees bassist Taneli Jarva covering the role of singer for the first time, and this is a key element if we look at the release as a whole.
The cover artwork displays a picture of northern lights, one of the most iconic phenomena connected to a typical Finnish (or at least Nordic) imagery; northern lights are somewhat cloaked in mysticism and magic, as they have inspired many mythological tales, and they are for sure one of the most fascinating and compelling things a person could experience. Although being a fairly common event in winter at those latitudes, it seems like northern lights do not leave even the locals indifferent. The seventh track on the album describes such an experience, but we’ll get back to that in a bit…
The album opens with a solid statement starting from the first song’s title: “My Sky is Darker than Thine” sees Jarva as bassist, singer, and lyricist, and it is immediately quite evident how stunning the band’s ability to blend melody and aggressiveness is, especially if we take their tender age into consideration (they were all around 18-19 years old back then). Sharp and intricated guitar riffs, fast and rich drum patterns, prominent bass, and a rageful, eerie-yet-precise vocal line are the ingredients that make this opening tune such a masterpiece. As for the lyrics, they are infused with some kind of a teenage boosting rage that might seem naïve at a first sight, but formally they are very well written and do really get to the point when it comes to accomplishing an effective descriptive power: “Frozen time… The astral gate / I’ve been before on this ground / open wide before my eyes / I see… on this glorious ride.” A couple of almost hidden “do it!” in the lyrics have been explained as an invitation to committing suicide, as also stated in Matti Riekki’s book about the band, not coincidentally named after this very album. Both guitars sound cold and flavorful at the same time, and it is no secret that Miika Tenkula’s personal touch as a guitarist and composer has always made a difference in SENTENCED’s overall sound, from the very beginning of their path. Vesa Ranta’s peculiar style did leave its mark and his energetic and colorful drumming made this opus one-of-a-kind, while Sami Lopakka’s classy approach as guitarist, composer, and lyricist is unreplaceable.
It is worth mentioning that melodic death metal was not yet a thing back then, but as a matter of fact, “North from Here” sounds melodic and death metal-y, even if it is pretty clear that it has nothing to do with anything that melodeath eventually turned into, especially if we look at the album from today’s standpoint. There is a technical approach in the songwriting for sure, but everything flows smoothly, the melodies are catchy, and to be completely honest, there is no weak point, as every tune ends up being memorable and equally important in the general narrative structure of the opus. Although not being explicitly a concept album, “North from Here” totally feels like an epic saga where the main character ends up overcoming his own fears, driven by the aforementioned teenage rage, and makes the best use of it by fulfilling his desire for dominance. Take, for instance, “Fields of Blood, Harvester of Hate”: the scream at the central part of the song sounds like it comes from a battlefield, followed by verses such as, “Wind sweeps the fields where they all died / the fields where their blood was spilt / The hordes of celestial light saw the fields of blood… once”; I bet we can all agree how evocative these words are. The drumming is at times reminiscent of the clashing sound of swords, as the intensity of the words is perfectly mirrored by the music. The numerous changes of pace and pattern in the tune make it quite complex, while keeping it straight to the point, and the role of bass is delightfully very much present, which is one of the highlights of the album.
Speaking of Lopakka’s skills as a lyricist, both “Awaiting the Winter Frost” and “Northern Lights” can be taken as examples of his personal style; the fifth tune shows a tighter metric, slightly reminiscent of early DEATH production, especially in the first verses: “A gathering in the cold / in the North / in the dark lands of Pohjola / Where the sun had not been crossing the sky nor seen for centuries….” The tune, thanks to classy tremolo riffs and a solid guitar solo, can be considered the perfect soundtrack for that time of the year when winter is approaching and, whether you like it or not, days get shorter, darker, and colder, and there is nothing you can do about it. As for the previously mentioned seventh track, “Northern Lights,” the intro, as much as the main riff, seem to “translate” the dance-like movements of the green lights in the sky into music, in a surprisingly accurate way – this is how magical art can be. Lyric-wise, the narrator is witnessing that incredible phenomenon while humankind is sleeping: “While you were asleep I was awake to be part of the dark / While you were asleep I was awake to find the truth I had sought for through all my life….” There comes again the epic saga-like vibe, enhanced by a spoken-word part that culminates with another solid statement: “I am not one of them,” where one can clearly see the teenage struggles we have all been through, here depicted in a fairly aggressive, rageful, and cathartic way. “Aurora Borealis – a part of me still in the sky,” paired with the above-mentioned main riff, works as a perfect conclusion for a song that is a notch above many others with the same theme; moreover, its emotional drive is always extremely intense, no matter how many times I listen to it.
The closing tune is, well… the name speaks for itself, “Epic”! With music by Lopakka and lyrics by Jarva, it is a monumental 6-minute ride through the end of this journey. The song is infused with nostalgia for a time passed and never lived, and the lyrics often nod to philosophical questions, in such a clear way one ends up relating to it very easily. The purest essence of the album can be summarized in its very last verse: “Our northernmost hearts don’t belong to this world,” as a powerful statement about “north” as a concept, as what guides and drives humanity towards its true self.
I am pretty sure none of the band members would have ever thought about their music having such an impact 3 decades after its release, but here we are: as a matter of fact, “North from Here” is still nowadays a remarkable work of art, whose deep complexity and historical significance goes way beyond its unquestionable formal beauty.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Tracklist
- My Sky is Darker than Thine
- Wings
- Fields of Blood, Harvester of Hate
- Capture of Fire
- Awaiting the Winter Frost
- Beyond the Wall of Sleep
- Northern Lights
- Epic
Lineup
Taneli Jarva – vocals, bass
Miika Tenkula – guitars
Sami Lopakka – guitars
Vesa Ranta – drums
Label
Spinefarm Records
