Sammal is that good old friend you've never met. Free from the confines of a scene or part of any genre wave, like the wild moss their name translates to. They have conjured a rare album, quite of its own but nostalgic in only the best way. A band that manages to capture a sense of golden moments in Finnish music, naturally and without pretensions. Vocals that soar confidently and warmly with beautiful lyrics which, though sung entirely in Finnish, are entirely relatable due to the passion in the voice and beauty of the compositions, made more arcane by the sentiments the sound evokes. Lyrics translated inside the booklet are a magic discovery of a band that inspires more about their culture and heart than most well known Finnish bands today.
Touching on these deep themes, rarely does a voice emote and sound so ubiquitous or wiser in modern rock. Through their riffs, solos and vintage keys, you can find traces of everything that made Love Records and Finnish Prog so beloved, not only in their home country but abroad. Sammal give the same impression of a band Finns can be proud of, while doing a great service to their musical culture and heritage. They have a masterful natural command of classic rock music that surpasses their age with nods to Thin Lizzy, Camel, Birth Control, Budgie and the epic guitar journeys of the Allman Brothers, while all along carving their own unique path. Redefining the term "modern classic" in an age of lesser pretenders. One of the greatest modern interpretations of classic Scandinavian Progressive Rock we have ever come across. Sink into the forest rock moss with Sammal!
