According to the band members, this album is a “wandering through the important themes of human life with scratched knees and speaks of the unfathomable nature of life.” Hyyrynen also noted that the album Taival came together surprisingly quickly, with songs being created and even recorded in the middle of a tour and all the surrounding noise.

The source of the album was an eternal struggle. Hyyrynen recalled that one morning during a tour in the mountains, he woke up very early without any specific reason while lying in the bus. He immediately took his phone and started writing lyrics, noting that about eighty percent of the text was completed right then and there. After that, he got out of his bunk, looked out at the scenery passing by the window, and burst into tears.

For Antti Hyyrynen, his father was the one who introduced him to the creative world and was deeply associated with classical music; at home, he listened to Schubert and often played the piano. None of his children went into classical music themselves, but it still left a lasting impression on them.

Hyyrynen explained that this album clearly expressed the deep respect he felt for his lineage. He recalled returning in his memories to his early childhood, sitting next to his father's piano, or wandering through the wooded areas near their cabin where his father used to teach them how to hunt.

According to Antti, his father was a man for whom nature and music stood above all else. Hyyrynen fondly recalled that a couple of years before his death, his father came to see Stam1na perform in Savonlinna. He watched them play on the very same stage where he had once performed as part of an opera choir, and after the show, he told Antti that everything had been great.

Despite the fact that the lyrics of Taival reference his father's death, Hyyrynen admitted that he still wrote about his feelings indirectly. He noted that his lyrics were quite enigmatic compared to, say, pop music, which created a completely new situation for him. He questioned how often he actually dared to write about his personal emotions, admitting that he even felt awkward showing song titles or raw sketches to his bandmates. He added that he would get scared while waiting for their reaction, though surprisingly, it was never anything crushing for him.

The album also features the “Metsästäjä” (“The Hunter”) trilogy, which tells the story of a hunter carrying the heavy burden of his lineage. He is obsessed with entering the underworld but must first obtain a deer skull as payment for his entry.

The album Taival also features two collaborations. Anna Eriksson contributed to the track “Gaian lapsi”, while Björgvin Sigurðsson from the Icelandic band Skálmöld joined Stam1na for the incredibly powerful song “Sudet tulevat”, which, like all of the band's work, can be interpreted in more ways than one.
One of the most tragic and candid tracks is titled “Kannoin sinut läpi hiljaisen huoneen”. Its name translates to “I carried you through a quiet room”, and here Antti Hyyrynen makes no attempt to speak of the tragedy in a veiled way.

The album concludes with the song “Kajo” (“Glimmer” or “Glow”), which feels like an awakening after a long night that has finally given way to a “Hyvää yötä” (“Good Night”). Thus ends the journey.

Despite the immense success of the album and numerous awards earned throughout their nearly thirty-year career, Stam1na continue to view their work and the music scene with a touch of irony. The band members noted that they always considered themselves to be doing what they loved, rather than digging for gold. Perhaps this is exactly what helps them keep creating such sincere, honest, and captivating work as the album Taival.

Rating: 10/10