KALMAH

Palo SPINEFARM Heroic return from unheralded Finnish melodeath marauders

Despite being overshadowed by some of their more showy or ridiculous countrymen, Finland’s Kalmah have been arguably the most consistent of the melodeath field, finding their niche yet always finding something new to bring to the table. Their eighth effort sees the distillation of their steady journey but tapering back on the more savage black metalisms of last effort, Seventh Swamphony. Opener Blood Ran Cold sets the triumphant tone, imbued with a Celtic strain akin to a warrior charging into massed ranks of raging leprechauns, and while there are many tracks that follow the folk-tinged formula, at its best Palo is still an exhilarating gallop. Take Me Away’s resplendent guitar has live ballad written all over it and Paystreak tries to shift away from the standard tempo, while the jig and shimmering keys of The World Of Rage plants the band’s flag firmly in the conquered ground. FOR FANS OF: WINTERSUN, ENSIFERUM, CHILDREN OF BODOM