Tarot, the pioneers of the Finnish metal scene bless us weaklings with a morsel of delight in the form of a single that is supposed to precede a whole album, tentatively out at the end of 2006. Rejoice, good people, for life has meaning once more!

The title track is a fast, straight-up metal punch in the gut with a driving riff and bass-heavy-production (Mmm, me likes mucho!). Earlier Tarot classics like Crawlspace and The Colour Of Your Blood come to mind. The Hammond-organs bring awesome organic vibes aching to Deep Purple to the mix. Lead singer/bassist Marco Hietala (Yeahyeah, here’s your namedropping: the dude with the bass from Nightwish. Satisfied?) keeps his title as most-übertastic voice in all of the frozen north with majestic ease. Everytime I listen to Tarot I thank some higher power for providing Nightwish with an aural saviour in Mr. Hietala. OK, back to the point. Zachary Hietala’s guitar solo is as sizzling and off-the-wall as usual. His guitar sound is a target of personal envy. A killer track, that promises good for the future.

The second track is a superb cover of Blue Öyster Cult’s Veteran Of The Psychic Wars, a concert mainstay in Tarot’s live set (and a title that describes the bands never-give-up work ethic very well). Sung magnificently by the bands latest official member, long-time backing vocalist/sampler handler/roadie Tommi Salmela, the track has an unbelievable atmosphere. I can clearly imagine a smoking battlefield filled with corpses and a haunting silence ruling the area as the rolling, slow drum beat and eerie keyboards support occasionally screaming guitars. Magical, I say.

All is as usual on the northern front as I can’t say anything bad concerning this group of time-worn metal masters. A new album has high hopes hanging on it, but after this single I am more confident than ever. Tarot is still the greatest pure heavy metal band to rise from Finland, and few bands would even have the guts, let alone talent, to try and prove otherwise.