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Rating: Korpiklaani
Korven Kuningas
Nuclear Blast, 2008
Folk Metal
INTRODUCTION
It's promises time!!! Here we go. The race is on for the final fiery days of the election campaign. Large and small parties hit the field fiercely, placing polls on the scales that counter other polls, all garnished with fiery new and hyperbolic promises. "This year, we have no more excuses", "we will have a great majority in the Senate and thus will finally be able to govern". Everyone has the right recipe for governing Italy, but this time, citizens, beware: this is not just a random phrase, but rather the true truth!!! Of course, all this hustle and bustle doesn't interest me, as the election campaign is only for the undecided: those undecided about whether to tell the entire political class to go to hell or undecided about which side to stand on this time. It seems that at the moment Berlusconi, with Alitalia, has managed to distract attention from the program, but surely Walter will not stand by and watch, and who knows what fireworks and clichés will be pulled out in the last days to the delight of Vespa rubbing his hands, not forgetting Floris & Co...
THE DISCOVERY
In this climate of rampant promises, an old university friend I hadn't seen in a while, after the usual pleasantries, with a 32-tooth smile, asks if I still listen to metal and if I'm open to new musical boundaries. I give him the go-ahead, and so he enthusiastically tells me about a Finnish band, saying that the must-have new work has just been released. He convinces me, and I impatiently download the album (as I try to buy with a minimum of informed decision due to series of €18 wasted in the trash) and...
THE BAND AND THEIR MUSIC
Korpiklaani means "Forest Clan," which should describe a band dedicated to Finnish folk metal. "Korven Kuningas" is not a curse in some dialect from a remote Italian village, but rather the name of the latest effort of the aforementioned group led by singer Jorme Järvelä. Now, if I weren't incurably lazy and, consequently, hadn't already tired myself out opening the insert symbol menu and searching for these (äüöï) strange letters; if all this hadn't happened, but it did, maybe I would've also written the names of the other band members. It's a real pity that my laziness, combined with my reckless, gratuitous, and unjustified racism towards any foreign language other than English or Spanish, will shed no light in the rest of the writing on the worthy instrumentalists of the "Forest Clan."
Music. What kind of music do they make? I could wash my hands by saying folk metal reminiscent of Fintroll, but let's try to move beyond genre definitions and attempt to describe the compositions of the record in question. Very easy, almost cheerful and shameless melodic lines characterize almost all the songs. In stark contrast stands a "light" growl in the sense that it doesn't sound unbearable to my ears; quite the opposite. A mix between the screechy voice of the villain from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" and a not-too-convincing-and-fierce scream. At least it's original, don't you think?
THE RECORD
After a few listens, I have to say that initially this band really gets you pumped. The dichotomous union of voice/riffing and melodies of violin, accordion, and flute is truly winning. An example of such goodness is represented by Tapporauta which has a great punch and which I imagine could have a great effect live. That said soon the product turns out to be quite predictable and repetitive both in the rhythm section (proliferation of mid-tempo) and especially in the folkloristic instrumental interludes. For heaven's sake, Finnish Humppa may also have such characteristics, I don't doubt it, but in the long run, it bores even myself. In some cases, the conclusion of one song is almost a reprise of the beginning of the next one. Moving on to the guitars. I may be old-fashioned, but in the 14 overall tracks, the riffing is boring; almost like merely a backdrop to all the rest. It seems more like work suited for a punk or ska band.
CONCLUSION
In short, "Kurven Kunigas" manages to earn me a few smiles with "Tapporauta", "Gods On Fire", "Runamoine", but also many yawns (in the super suite title track of 24 minutes there are bargains) giving me the idea of having very few ideas to be one of the best emerging elites of the genre. Maybe I simply picked the least successful album from the Finns (and it wouldn't surprise me much given how Nuclear Blast usually manages to destroy the bands it contracts) and I hope in case you know where to direct me.
P.S. It's quite peculiar that this CD was recommended to me by a staunch enemy of power metal who hates the genre because "it's all the same". As for originality, the briefly described "Korven Kunigas" is not far from the latest effort of the much-maligned Dragonforce, but that's fine.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Tapporauta (04:12)
-synty tapporauta
-synty tapporauta
Soas' sorti surmamiehet,
Ilikiäimmät ilkimötsi,
Häviölle hennon heimon,
Kuolontyveen kurjan kansan.
Lästä saapu inehmoine,
Koillisesta kuninkaine,
Anto ahjon, pisti palkeet,
Manamalmin valjastaikski
- synty tapporauta
Missä poltti kostonliekki, siel ei nähty rauhaa
Mikä malmis'tummaa tulta, mikä verta vahvaa
Siittä synty hurmekirves - synty tapporauta
Mihnä iski tapporauta, siel ei nahty rauhaa
-synty tapporauta
-synty tapporauta
Laitto miehet miekkoihnsa,
Kovapäiset kirveihiinsä,
Lausu piälle tannerloihdun,
Sorvaisihe sotasanat.
Anto ankaran iskiellä,
Kovakouran kurmutella,
Kiromahdin kiskuella,
Vihavirren veisahella:
-synty tapporauta
Missä poltti kostonliekki, siel ei nähty rauhaa
Mikä malmis' tummaa tulta, mikä verta vahvaa
Siittä synty hurmekirves - synty tapporauta
Mihnä iski tapporauta, siel ei nähty rauhaa
-synty tapporauta
-synty tapporauta
Heikko heimo hurjiintuihe,
Kurja kansa kimmastuihe,
Kosti miähil', kosti naisil',
Kosti viälä lapsillekki
Mihnä iski tapporauta
Siinä kallot katkieli
Mihnä tempas' hurmekirves
Siinä lihat liiskantuihe:
- synty tapporauta
Missä poltti kostonliekki, siel ei nähty rauhaa
Mikä malmis' tummaa tulta, mikä verta vahvaa
Siittä synty hurmekirves - synty tapporauta
Mihnä iski tapporauta, siel ei nähty rauhaa
- synty tapporauta
- synty tapporauta
Sillon rautakuninkaine,
Vasken tuoja, malmin luoja,
Katos'iliman istumatta,
Läksi iliman astumatta.
Missä vuosi vilhaveri
- siellä suru suurin sumas'
Missä vuosi vilhaveri
- siellä suru sumas'
Missä poltti kostonliekki, siel ei nähty rauhaa
Mikä malmis' tummaa tulta, mikä verta vahvaa
Siittä synty hurmekirves - synty tapporauta
Mihnä iski tapporauta, siel ei nähty rauhaa
03 Keep On Galloping (04:07)
Keep on galloping
my black horse
carrying me
to unknown shores
through these outlandish woods
and with confidence back home
Lennä, laukkaa heposeni,
lennä, laukkaa hallavaharja,
kiiä halki kangasmaitten,
murjo poikki pientareitten,
kanna minnuu maailmalla,
kulettele kuskiasi,
näytä kaikki nähtävyyet,
uuet maat ja uuet paikat.
Keep on galloping
my black horse
carrying me
to unknown shores
through these outlandish woods
and with confidence back home
Mikäs täss' on matkatessa,
mikäs täss' on elellessä,
kaikkee saam mie matkav' varrelt',
kaikkee mitä tarvittenki.
Paljon nähty maailmalla,
paljon vielä nähtävätä,
monta maita minun mennä,
Kuulla noita tarinoita.
Laulan, tanssin, soiton soitan,
revin riemun näistä teistä,
näistä teistä, elämästä
täällä Pohjantähen päässä .
Tääl' on miun kotopaikka,
tää on reissun päätepiste,
heposeni tallipaikka,
liinaharjan syntysija
Keep on galloping
my black horse
carrying me
to unknown shores
through these outlandish woods
and with confidence back home
...back home
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Other reviews
By Anatas
The album is beautiful, dynamic, colorful, and incredibly fun!
The hybrid of humppa, folk, and power-thrash metal manages to create terribly catchy riffs that make you wiggle like a merry sprite.
