Tarot had a hell of a task following their previous offering, Suffer Our Pleasures. I could use the next couple of paragraphs complimenting that album alone, but the point would not be there. It is awesome, period. After a three-year gap and a single release, Crows Fly Black continues the streak of sonic masterpieces that have been non-stop with the pioneers of the Finnish metal scene.

The title track opens it up with some ominous choirs and keyboards that lead on to a humongous guitar riff that struck me flat on my ass upon contact. Sweet Bejezuz, what a punch. The ensuing mid-tempo punishment shifts to a higher gear, playing with tempos much like the previous album’s magnificent Rider Of The Last Day. Traitor speeds it up even more with a neck-breaking mosh-rhythm and powerful gang choruses that are custom-made for concert mayhem. Marco Hietala supremely displays his holier-than-thou pipes throughout the record and is wonderfully doubled up by the increased amount of vocal input from the bands long time backup singer, Tommi Salmela. The guy has ripped it live with the band for years and has now been upgraded to an official member of Tarot. Well done, I say. It’s miraculous how two extremely capable vocalists have landed into the same band, as the majority of bands around the world have difficulties finding just one.

Messenger Of Gods and Before The Skies Come Down carry one the streak of über-catchy choruses and fist-banging while Tides mellows it down with beautiful piano and very soulful singing by Hietala. Bleeding Dust is a brutal slice of fast paced metal akin to be amped up to the maximum. Not enough shoutable choruses here yet? Fear not! Just blast out You or Howl! and feel the scorching solos and rock solid beats scream metal down your cavities. Grey closes the album with an epic, dark atmosphere that gets the main kick from Janne Tolsa’s moody keyboards. It just feels magical, dude. The production is like diamond-encrusted airwaves coming at you pumped to eleven; hard-hitting and strong as steel.

Tarot just makes me go Wow. Twenty years into their relentless pursuit of metal glory and they just refuse to release anything inferior and have just gotten better at it as each year has passed. It would seem that the band is finally getting some wind in the form of albums decently released and touring abroad as well, so it is good to see that other countries are getting doses of this brilliant band as well. At this point it even seems pointless for me to talk about them, as I will only come up with verbal fellatio. Call me a patriot, call me nationally biased – whatever. It still stands that Tarot owns you, your brother who can play a note-perfect version of Van Halen’s Eruption and the metal band playing in your home town. Simple as that. You buy, they rule!