Sounding more epic, symphonic and less speedy (humppa), comes nine new compositions from Finland, although the opening ‘By The Dividing Stream’ is but a gentle fife and acoustic guitar instrumental, while ‘Tumman Virran Taa’ is just 54 seconds of unaccompanied barbershop quartet in the native tongue. The military snare cadence of ‘Elusive Reaches’ gives way to funeral march topped with synth and distant indecipherable choir (almost instrumental). Both ‘Twilight Tavern’ and ‘Heathen Throne’ see Petri Lindroos employ menacing intonations, but in the later it's atop a meandering wash of orchestral strings (even a harp). ‘Stone Cold Metal’ ends with an almost Celtic rhythm, multi-voice a cappella harmonies.

Near the half-way point of gruff vocal begun 7:27 ‘Smoking Ruins’, they break out a solitary whistle (no not the instrument, but the act of pushing wind through pursed lips), as the cowboy influenced melody builds (think Rawhide theme, or The Magnificent Seven), a piano joins/disappears, replaced by baritone voiceover and in the final moment a duel between banjo (or Finnish equivalent) and electric guitar! ‘The Longest Journey (Heathen Throne Part II)’ finale picks up speeds towards the finish (Finnish?) line, but not without a pit-stop for angelic female voices.