August 11th, 2023, saw the release of the new album from Finland’s Kita, a psychedelic sludge band whose name means “a huge, ugly, frightening mouth, an all-devouring maw.” The album’s name, Tyhjiö, is equally powerful, translating to “the void.” The five tracks on it are devastating examples of how psych and sludge can be mixed to create outstanding results.
About Kita and Tyhjiö
Kita began life as a studio project but has become a full band for their second album, adding another guitarist. They have also switched to the Finnish language, which, in their words, has made “the lyrics very personal and philosophical, reflecting deep inner conflicts under a psychedelic light.”
The Songs
1. Kivi puhuu (The Stone Speaks)
Delivering just over ten minutes of psychedelic sludge, Kita sets the tone for the album on “Kivi puhuu.” Jonne (guitar, vocals, keys, effects) applies an aggressive vocal approach that runs the gamut from cleans, sludge, death, and even a few nods to black metal. The rest of the band slogs through the muck and the mire deftly, providing the foundation for Jonne and the intense sound effects he creates. This is all tempered with passages of psych-tinged beauty, making a ride that you won’t soon forget.
2. Tyhjiö (The Void)
For the album’s title track, Kita lets the listener feel “the void” by hitting them with crushing sludge riffs, intense displays of vocal intensity, and their brand of heavy psychedelia. Being the fan of heavy music that I am, this speaks to me in ways that I can fully understand. This is particularly true of the sound effects, which add a ferocity unparalleled in the genre. This track is more in line with heavy psych, as those psychedelic influences are less obviously felt, with sludge being the song’s core.
3. Torajyvä (The Ergot)
Here we have the shortest track, coming in at 05:27. Kita throws a bit of a curveball at us by applying a touch of influence from progressive metal stalwarts known as Tool while keeping their heavy psych and sludge tendencies in the forefront. This is one of the two best, most diverse-sounding songs; everything about the riffs and music set it apart from the rest of Tyhjiö.
4. Kärpässilmät (Fly Eyes)
I hear more doom going on here, an element the other tracks also have. It’s just more pronounced here and has a progressive metal feel. Ever present are the sludge and psych tones, but much like “Torajyvä (The Ergot),” the music here isn’t exactly like what we’ve heard up until this point on the record, and for that reason, it is every bit its equal.
5. Ataraksia (Ataraxia)
This last track begins with a Justin Chancellor (Tool) styled bass lick, instantly grabbing my attention. As the song progresses, I detected a Mastodon influence; think Leviathan era when I say that. In the ten minutes of this track, we get everything this album offers, closing it out with music that will make you start the record over as soon as it ends.
Final Thoughts
Kita’s Tyhjiö will not be a psych purist’s cup of tea, but if you enjoy the heavier end of the genre and have an open mind, this album will hit you perfectly. It is much heavier than what we usually cover here at The Third Eye, but it also fits into our format nicely, and I loved every second of it.
You can find Kita on Bandcamp, Spotify, YouTube, and other assorted music sites. So get out there, give this record a chance, and lose yourself in its myriad sounds. Enjoy!
Support Kita by finding them on Bandcamp or social media (Facebook).
This review was written by Tom Hanno, who has been writing reviews for the last 7 years but has been sharing his love of music for the majority of his life. Originally starting out at the now-defunct Chimera Magazine, he is currently contributing to Doomed and Stoned, The Sleeping Shaman, The Doom Charts, Tom’s Reviews, and The Third Eye. Read more of Tom’s reviews by checking out his Linktree.
Parting words: “Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
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