Heaven Gemini – Luonnonoikku

Heaven-Gemini is a progressive metal band formed in Kuopio in 2018. Their first EP Dolores was released in 2022, and their debut album Luonnonoikku came out in 2024.

The album features 12 tracks and runs for a total of 63 minutes. As usual, I set out to review the album track by track, but soon realised this would be impossible and wouldn’t do justice to the whole, because that’s what this is—a whole.

The album takes you on a one-hour trip through time and space, through the deep grooves of the brain. This is not easy listening, but it rewards the listener if they’re patient enough to listen to the entire album. Now, let’s dive deeper into the album itself.

It’s no secret that Stam1na is a major influence on this band, and you can definitely hear it in their music. Fortunately, it’s not a cheap copy.

The album starts boldly with the slow, nearly 8-minute long Kyynelmyrkky, setting the stage for the journey ahead. Vangin Dilemma kicks the party into gear with heavy riffs and a catchy melody in the chorus. The same vibe continues in the next track.

Once the listener has been properly lubricated, Kuollut Kirjain takes them on a jazzy, psychedelic adventure. With 1001, consciousness is lost even further, and at this point, the listener is bound to start contemplating existential questions.

With Presque Vu, the band dives even deeper into complex territory—this track is difficult to listen to, but in a good way! The following instrumental track, Lorem Ipsum, works incredibly well as a mental cleanser, calming the atmosphere and the mind. It’s one of the album’s best tracks and serves as a fantastic interlude.

The next song, Tinnitus, feels a bit unnecessary in an already long album. The song itself isn’t bad, but it doesn’t really add much to the overall experience. When Arkkivihollinen comes on, you might think the album is nearing its end, but not quite… perhaps the beginning of the end?

Tappokasi is no surprise as the single track and the most streamed song by the band. It has the energy of a big-town anthem, full of anger, speed, and a sense of danger! If one track from this album sticks with you, it’s this one!

The album closes with the final slow tracks, Luonnonoikku I: Preesens and Luonnonoikku II: Kun, with the latter beginning pleasantly with acoustic guitar. By this point, the listener is given some relief and gently brought back to the present moment. What an adventure!

Summary: This album is one of the most interesting releases I’ve had the honor of listening to in a long time! It is by no means easy listening and requires the full attention of the listener from start to finish. I appreciate that some bands still put in the effort for an experience like this, instead of trying to force-feed TikTok-length tracks. The album might have one or two too many tracks after the instrumental interlude, but otherwise, it’s a nearly perfect whole. I’m looking forward to the next album!

SCORE: 4,5/5 

Reviewed by: Pauli Hodju

Scroll to Top