WHERE’S MY BIBLE – Kave
- Posted on 31-07-2025
RELEASE YEAR: 2024
BAND URL: https://wheresmybible.bandcamp.com/
When a band finds its voice, the result can be transformative — not just for the group itself, but for the genre it inhabits. With Kave²⁰²⁴, released last September 11th via Inverse Records, Finnish melodic death doom metal act weirdly, possibly jokingly named (no, they’re not Christians) Where’s My Bible doesn’t just find its voice — it roars with clarity, depth, and purpose. This second full-length offering is an astonishing achievement that melds technical brutality with emotive atmosphere, resulting in one of the most compelling extreme metal records of 2024.
Formed in 2014, Where’s My Bible has seen an organic evolution over the past decade throughout The Beginning²⁰¹⁶ EP, M’n’R²⁰¹⁸ (already on Inverse Records) and Circle²⁰²² EP. Original members Pasi Löfgrén and Toni Hinkkala (guitars), along with frontman Jussi Matilainen (vocals, folk instruments), have remained the creative heart of the band. The lineup has since been revitalized with the addition of Teppo Ristola (drums, 2021) and Juho Jokimies (bass, 2023), following the untimely passing of founding bassist Jarno Laakkonen — whose spirit and presence still resonate powerfully through Kave as they honor the past while embracing the present.
Kave moves with terrifying sonic alchemy where brutality meets grace, production (6/6) and musicianship (6/6) shining across the album’s 48:50 runtime. With 14 tracks, including four mood-defining instrumentals, the record flows like a cinematic narrative. Every sonic detail — from dense riffing to eerie symphonic textures — is handled with surgical precision and emotional weight. It’s a record that confidently nods to its influences (Swallow the Sun, Hypocrisy, Dimmu Borgir, Fires in the Distance, Carach Angren, Dark Tranquillity, among others) while carving an identity uniquely its own.
While Side A edges ahead in songwriting (5.4 vs. total score of 5.2), there’s no filler here — even the instrumental interludes serve a purpose akin to Sepultura’s Roots¹⁹⁹⁶ or Fear Factory’s Obsolete¹⁹⁹⁸, the instrumentals, which is rare, here building atmosphere and continuity, hefting an immersive experience rather than a mere collection of songs.
Highlights? Why, it’s a true gallery of extremes:
“Creator of Abyss”
A monstrous opener with an original riff that feels like Hypocrisy or Pain, before veering into black metal territory. The slower reprisal of the riff layered with delicate melody is eerie, infectious, and emotionally charged — the kind of track that’s terrifying in its beauty.
“Fenrir”
An absolute standout. Beginning with a sharp melodic death riff, it morphs into symphonic black metal with a haunting acoustic and piano interlude. The emergence of female clean vocals adds a ghostly contrast, later echoed by male clean harmonies. This is mind-bending songwriting — structurally daring and emotionally resonant.
“Waves”
From a symphonic intro to a progression reminiscent of Insomnium, Samael, and Dark Tranquillity, this track is a masterclass in dynamic metal storytelling. Atmospheric keys conjure Fires In The Distance, while a brief but searing solo leaves a deep impact.
“Ghost From The Past”
Opening with an epic riff and progressing into a fusion of Fires In The Distance melancholia and Emperor’s black majesty, the track’s pacing is flawless. Clean vocals evoke Soilwork’s Björn Strid (currently my favorite metal vocalist), surrounded by growls and rasps, and the keys and martial percussion deliver a cinematic crescendo. At only 4:24, it ends too soon — a testament to its strength.
Title track: “Kave”
Possibly the emotional and philosophical center of the album. Beginning with a Meshuggah-like mechanical groove, the track rapidly transforms into melodic blackened death. The chorus lyrics are among the most profoundly human and spiritually resonant heard in recent memory:
If you cry that the sun has disappeared from your life your tears prevent you from seeing the stars in the sky
Closed eyes, open heart, open mind
In the darkest times, you refuse to see the shine of the moon
Set against epic riffing, clean vocals, and blackened chanting reminiscent of Behemoth or Morbid Angel, this track is both musically devastating and emotionally uplifting — a paradox only the best art can deliver.
Where’s My Bible have leapt from promise to fulfillment. Kave is not only a massive step forward for the band — it’s a defining moment for Finnish melodic death doom metal. The album is meticulously crafted, emotionally intelligent, and brutally beautiful. The fusion of death, doom, black, and even symphonic and folk elements, paired with poetic lyricism and philosophical depth, makes Kave a rare gem in modern metal. In short, this is essential listening, a monumental achievement and a landmark release.