A monument to hard rock

Finland’s Craneium has returned after a three-year hiatus with a new album titled Unknown Heights. The album is the third major album for the group, following their 2018 album, The Narrow Line, which was received quite well by fans of psychedelic and fuzz rock. Craneium is composed by bassist Jonas Ridberg, drummer Joel Kronqvist, guitarists and vocalists Martin Anhlö and Andreas Kaján. They are known for their doom metal sound and spiritual themes embedded into the lyrics. After three years of carefully developing new music, the band has returned with Unknown Heights, a powerful album with six major songs that exceed all expectations and could be considered their best work yet.

Unknown Heights kicks off with mesmerizing guitar riffs in the five-minute opener titled “A Secret Garden.” The track is quick to hypnotize with a groovy rhythm and strong bass. It is clear that Craneium took inspiration from ’70s acid rock when composing “A Secret Garden,” though, of course, they have included their personal touches of more of a doom sound. As always, the band incorporates spiritual lyrics within their music; “A Secret Garden” refers to a prophecy being carried out–“Another prophet from the dunes will soon arise,” they sing.

“Somber Aeons” carries more of a gloomier, heavy metal sound with insanely strong bass. The track begins with heavy, rhythmic drums followed by guitar notes that add a desert rock sensation. In addition to the dark lyrics, there is a chilling deep spoken voice outro in which the true definition of darkness is explained as “darkness is nothing, then darkness is everything.”

The band takes the audience on a long and wild ride in the almost eight-minute track “Weight To Carry.” The track includes a wide variety of rock genres, from psychedelic to stoner to doom and even alternative influences. The track even includes three separate yet back-to-back mesmerizing guitar solos. “The Devil Drives” is another adventure within the album as it is a more alternative and pop-influenced track that will make it nearly impossible to not dance along.

Craneium is sure to gain a greater audience with their latest project Unknown Heights, as it is a clear monument to all hard rock genres and subgenres. Though the album only consists of six songs, it is Craneium’s best work yet. The fuzzy guitar sounds, heavy bass, catchy hooks and doom rock sensations are sure to captivate many.