Label: Satanath Records
Origin: Trondheim, Norway (via Tehran, Iran)
With a bloodthirsty Persian army in tow, Sina Winter has stepped onto the windswept battlegrounds of Norway. Originally from Tehran, Iran, From the Vastland commander Sina left his homeland on a pilgrimage to Norway, the birthplace of modern black metal. Sina’s consummation with Norwegian extreme metal spawned an incubus: From the Vastland was born. Their sinister creation blends ancient Persian mythology and modern black metal blasphemy into a destructive force of unnatural chaos.
I had the tremendous fortune to meet Sina when living in Trondheim: we attended a film screening of the black metal documentary Blackhearts (starring him) in the mountains of western Norway in August 2016. He, and co-writer and co-director of Blackhearts Christian Falch, related an essential piece of knowledge to me: black metal is about the mindset first and the music merely supports it. I have carried this concept with me since that day. Sina, and the rest of From the Vastland, embody this meaning more than many of the contemporary acts with whom they compete, and they have delivered an inspired and meaningful force in The Haft Khan.
Haft Khān-e Rostam (Persian: هفت خوان رستم ) translates to The Seven Labors of Rostam, and tells the story of epic Persian hero, Rostam, who engages the evil Mazandarani daevas of the north after they have captured the Shah and imprisoned his army. Through these seven labors (for which the songs on The Haft Khan are named), Rostam and his mighty horse, Rakhsh, succeed in bringing the Mazandaranis and their leader, the White Demon, to justice. From the Vastland blast through the gates with vengeance: the first tracks rip at the eardrums just as Rostam slashes mythical lions and dragons at the start of his journey. His gore-covered hilt is quickly cleansed with ominous melodies, as they duel with Sina’s dripping growls in a down-tuned slow passage of thoughtfulness. Deep, throaty sermons channel an inner manifest destiny, as Rostam receives divine guidance to continue his quest. The fourth track, “Khan e Chaharom,” showcases Sina’s growls as slower and less frenetic than before, contrasting with searing riffs layered on top of each other to form an inverted escalator to hell. This track highlights the varied expertise of Spektre (also of Gaahlswyrd) on drums: transitioning from pummeling blast-beats to soulful interludes, this kit-basher nails his wicked resume to the White Demon’s forehead with every vicious strike.
Rostam’s quest pivots for its most rewarding stages with the fourth labor. He trades lengthy travel and mythical creatures for the undeniable pleasure of setting his people free and destroying their captors. In parallel, The Haft Khan‘s most insatiable moments come in these final three tracks. Sina seethes with enraged, belabored snarls behind searing distorted riffs, combing the black heavens and unleashing unrivaled rath. “Khan e Panjom” comes to a crushing halt when a static-laden deluge flash floods the scene, infused with early Watain-inspired guitar-work of despair and Tjalve’s (ex-1349) crushing bass lines. A disembodied voice urges Rostam on the path of calculated murder: he kills the Mazandarani champion Olad and the demon chief Arzhang Div as narrated by Sina’s piercing calls from beyond.
Khan e Sheshom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FccWBPLPq5Q
Standout track, “Khan e Sheshom,” blisters onto the scene with a melody from the far-east on speed. Blinded by the curses of the demons he has slain, Rostam has entered the mythical city of Mazanderan to free the Shah and his army, marching to the confident beat of From the Vastland‘s chorus of carnage. A galloping staccato of clean notes carries some of Sina’s deepest menace on the entire album, while blast-beats take a back seat for a moment to allow it to shine. The listener is straitjacketed by the entanglement of pace and production, until the divine words are spoken: “the seventh labor is about to begin.” At this moment, volcanic fire is extinguished in a beautiful acoustic outro, reminiscent of Dissection‘s “Crimson Towers.” The seventh labor is structured with chugging, churning, crushing chords that belie the impending slaughter: Rostam begins his final approach towards the White Demon, scarlet-stained sword in hand. This track brings a decisive conclusion to The Haft Khan, as Sina’s final growls dissipate into the wind as a discomforting quiet disseminates across the valley of the vanquished White Demon.
From the Vastland boldly conquers Norway’s steely landscape with resolute armies of Persian myth. Intertwining elements of aggressive, raw black metal with progressive, melodic passages, The Haft Khan confidently racks an emblazoned weapon into From the Vastland‘s growing repertoire of sharpened blades. Sina does not go softly into the night: he has an entire catalog of Persian mythology for inspiration, and some of Norway’s most bloodied brothers-in-arms backing him up. Await with trepidation From the Vastland‘s future spawn.
FFO: Watain, Gorgoroth, Dissection, 1349