Melodies in technicolor: discover the eclectic tunes of Bjørkø’s sophomore album “Heartrot”

When I have the pleasure of reviewing an album, the first thing I take a look at is the front cover, obviously. While the front cover is usually extremely well-crafted, not all the times does the content live up to its standard. We are not here to judge the albums by their cover, or shall we?

This is luckily not the case for Bjørkø‘s second record “Heartrot”. If one thing can be certain, is that there are so many colors on the cover, and in the same quantity you will find inside its tracks. For once, the outside reflects and anticipates what the inside is made of, and it doesn’t disappoint. Picture the widest range of metal you can, with the most talented artists that the scene has to offer, the finest mixing, mastering, and production… the final result is “Heartrot”.

This album is so well executed and created that it would be an excellent choice for someone who is just beginning to listen to metal, to form an idea of how the subgenres work and what would most appeal to them. There is so much variety and yet consistency, Bjørkø has delivered us a kaleidoscope album, a Rosetta stone that serves as a guide into the magnificent world of metal music. From the purest black of “World as Fire and Hallucination” to the symphonic wonders of “Whitebone Wind“, the almost 42 minutes fly by too quickly.

Bjørkø of course included Amorphis teammate Tomi Joutsen in one of the tracks and has not forgotten the Finnish roots with two tracks in his native language and one in Icelandic as well. Even in the languages used, there is miscellany, to imprint even more in the listener how rich and grandiose music can be. “Heartrot” is a journey that transcends in-depth, and I’m confident that even the most skeptical would certainly appreciate it.

In conclusion, if you love any kind of metal you need to experience this album. I will not use the word “listen”, because this record is prepared in such a way that listening would be a passive activity. “Heartrot” will take you and it will drag you inside a multicolor scenery, and you will be able to choose which is your favorite one after the end.