VALTAYHIJIÖ – kuristusleikki

Following up their Lukko cassette from 2021, Sorry State presents the debut vinyl from Joensuu, Finland’s Valtatyhjiö. While Valtatyhjiö takes inspiration from furious 80s Finnish hardcore punk, they don’t allow reverence for the classics to box in their sound, crafting a unique and instantly identifiable blend of hardcore, punk, metal, and rock and roll. The title track leads off Kuristusleikki by going straight for the jugular, but by the second song, “Petoksen Messias,” the scope widens, bringing in black metal touches and double bass drumming, the creative and tasteful deployment of which is a hallmark of Valtatyhjiö’s sound. On the b-side, “Viilto Kerrallaan” has a big riff and a rock-and-roll swing, while “Riite” closes the EP on an ominous note, sounding like a more hateful version of label-mates Zorn. Like Zorn, Valtatyhjiö’s music floats between hardcore, punk, and metal seamlessly and organically. While those genres can feel like they’ve been done to death, Valtatyhjiö finds their voice in the spaces between and across them, their originality granting them direct access to the intensity at this music’s core.