Von Hertzen Brothers – In Murmuration CD

Von Hertzen Brothers – In Murmuration

Gatefold, Digipak CD

After the profound and epic journey of their acclaimed pandemic-era masterpiece ‘Red Alert in the Blue Forest’ (2022), Finland’s celebrated Von Hertzen Brothers return with their ninth studio album, ‘In Murmuration’.

In true Von Hertzen Brothers style, this album creatively juxtaposes the band’s previous release. Whilst their imaginative multi-genre hard rock and harmonies remain, the band’s artistic pendulum has swung more towards an air of optimism and renewal. The result is a work filled with big choruses, stadium rock anthems, art-rock with 90s vibes and catchy power-pop.

Whilst the themes within the album may not be as deliberately opinionated as on previous releases ‘Red Alert in the Blue Forest’ and ‘War is Over’, there is a naturally occurring sense of constant change throughout. Precise and intriguing observations on the global political landscape, the tricky human relationships of this age, resilience and personal growth all provide lyrical subject matter. The first half of the album embodies a transformation of mood bringing forth some positivity and love and the second half journeys through challenging relationships, a literal call for change, separation, loss, longing and a final resolution.

Mikko says: “The shapes and the overall tone of the musical content on this album could be a bit surprising to some of our newer followers but not to those who have been listening to us from the beginning. Musically speaking, we have proudly carried the cloaks of ‘prog-wizards’ for the last two albums, but what has not been so widely discussed lately is our ability to write good pop choruses and great catchy rock anthems with good vibes. We felt like it was now time to bring forth that side of us once again. The lyrical themes still deal with the everyday struggles of being humans in this fucked up world, it’s a source that keeps on giving, but we wanted to step out of the forest and into the sunlight to mingle, discuss and celebrate. We live in an age of constant change where everyone is trying to find a secure footing in life, sometimes full of joy and sometimes filled with utter disappointment. Amid all that, the trick is to stay alert and lean to one another. Like starlings in murmuration. After the pandemic, and now as the world has once again opened, we have somehow felt lighter in our everyday lives. We acknowledge the contradiction of course, since the world with its horrors hasn’t changed much… It would have been easy to drown in those doomsday moods, but writing these songs we felt the need to tackle these problems from a more forgiving and positive standpoint.”

From the anthemic opener to the reflective closer, ‘In Murmuration’ ebbs and flows much like the starlings after which it is named.

The instrumentation on this album has also evolved. The three brothers Mikko, Kie and Jonne with drummer Sami Kuoppamäki are joined by multi-instrumentalist Markus Pajakkala, who performed with the brothers on their acoustic tour in 2023. Notable for his saxophone solo on ‘Peace Patrol’ (2022), Markus brings a new dynamic to the album. Guests on the album include a gospel ensemble and the Budapest Art Orchestra.

Tracklist:
1. The Relapse 5:29
2. A Good Life 3:32
3. Starlings 3:13
4. Ascension Day 5:07
5. Beneath the Silver Stars 5:12
6. Tightrope Walker 4:34
7. The Change 4:04
8. Separation 1:48
9. Snowstorm 6:19
10. Wait for Me 6:08

Label: DoingBeingMusic
Released: 2024