What’s with the Finns and the cellos? APOCALYPTICA have started the whole thing and now more and more bands follow from the land of the thousand lakes. They even have a link to the originators, in the person of the former APOCALYPTICA member Max Lilja, who is now a part of HEVEIN. But they are not at all trying to copy APOCALYPTICA, oh no, they have the ability of creating their own sound , in a way I haven’t heard before, cause the band founded in Helsinki in 1992 mixes Death/Thrash with clear vocals and with the already mentioned cello and creates a very interesting sound indeed.

After 6 demos and 2 singles they have finally finished their first complete album “Sound Over Matter“ and after the first listen I wasn’t really impressed but after the second rotation the class of the album came to show, starting with the cool “Breakout The Hammers” where Death/Thrash meets cello and a clear-sung chorus setting the pace, which HEVEIN will follow through the nine tracks in a varied way.

What I like about the Finns is that they don’t commit to predictable and returning song structures and they surprise with different changes and twists. The very catchy “iOta” for example sees the cello partly as lead instrument, while “I Beg To Differ“ has clear vocals with a slight epic touch. In opposition to this “Only Human” is a rather aggressive counterpart, where the vocals get somewhat harder, the chorus brings more cello and clear vocals, especially the interplay of aggressive riffing and cello is simply ingenious. “Last Drop Of Innocence“ at the end is another pearl, with a bleak beginning with cello and female vocals, before bass, a slow rhythm and the vocals carry this bleakness on and only here and there we can hear some Death-vocals.

HEVEIN not only show the will to distance themselves from the mass, but do this with really impressing results, cause the mix they display has the potential to fascinate the listener and to make themselves a name. A big thanks goes to Spinefarm and Candlelight USA for finally giving this band a chance (Online August 7, 2006)