Kalmah
The Black Waltz

THE REVIEW

Kalmah is a band that generally settles on levels that should be called "Melodic Death Metal", and perhaps it is indeed so, but unlike many of their colleagues belonging to the "Swedish" current, they have an extra turbine that mobilizes them and, without having to resort to masturbatory and ends-in-itself "shredding" Power of many of their more prestigious countrymen, they display an excellent technique and an inspired vein of a clear and evident brutal matrix.

Therefore, do not expect, when listening to them, epic and too hovering chinks or who knows what else.
By all means, the references to melody and the sad and ancestral effusions in this album are definitely there, but they are dictated mainly by a foundation firmly rooted in the most violent Thrash and, in certain steps, also in good Black Metal.

The songs are eleven and they all (or almost) work as excellent examples of technique seasoned with truly superlative ferocity and enviable skill. The singer and guitarist, as well as the band's leader, Pekka Kokko, showcases all his talent, which apparently, for him, almost always means just speeding up and giving solos at lightning speed on bases thought out and executed to "break" in a total way. Moreover, his growl, though not deep and guttural, but rather phlegmy and enraged, fits well into the intricate, always complex and pounding structure of the songs. But it is not only the band leader who can boast about everything he manages to do: all the other members churn out note after note without hitting a single wrong one, starting with keyboardist Marco Sneck who, amidst one outburst and another still, provides precious and always vibrant touches of symphony, which in a certain way recall the Scandinavian Black metal, managing to draw only the best from it; and then, too, we should not forget drummer Janne Kusmin who, for his part, despite the swirling and inhuman tempo changes that the songs impose on him, showcases an execution power and a technical profile capable of making most of his more famous colleagues pale.

And therefore, without losing ourselves in other chatter about the musical profile of these five Finns, it must be said, at the end of all discussions, that this "The Black Waltz" is certainly worth the price, and indeed it is appreciable in many of its episodes: "Defeat", "To the Gallows" with an attack that reminded me a lot of Iron Maiden, "The Black Waltz", "The Groan of Wind", which ranks, at least in the opinion of the writer, as the best track on the CD, the most thought-out and engaging, most closely tied to Death styles and attitudes, with in addition a cyclical solo that repeats for almost its entire duration and which, moreover, is a textbook example of how Melodic Death should be (and in many cases isn’t), or, to stay on the "Speed" theme, "Mindrust", which, aside from carrying the usual certain garnishes of the other songs, explodes in speed with the same roar as a falling building without losing impact, as any well-known Black Metal band would know how to do.

Finally, I would feel inclined to recommend this album to those who are already familiar with "Swedish Death Metal", and which is, without any compliments, another "kick in the balls", as another reviewer wrote on another occasion about their work, which will certainly not go down in history as an unforgettable album, but at least it invests heavily in honesty and impact, without giving up on technique.

Ah! If only In Flames were more like Kalmah! There would be reason to celebrate them, and not just for the laurels quickly burning under their chairs, but also for their compositional and musical merits.