Korpiklaani Korven Kuningas
by Matthew Hoffman
Staff Writer
Korpiklaani play fast-paced Finnish Folk metal using several string and wind instruments. The band was formed in 2003 and has released about an album a year since then. Their latest offering is entitled Korven Kuningas and will be released this month on Nuclear Blast. It features 15 cuts lasting an upbeat and inspiring 74 minutes. The music pays homage to the Finnish lumberjack culture and the vocals are sung in Finnish. It also has a nice thrash metal influence instead of the usual folk metal married to power metal tones.
One of the best examples of this cornucopia of sounds that really works listen 2:30 into “Ali Jäisten Vetten,“ here an accordion, a stringed instrument and the guitar all have fabulous tone and clarity while working towards a common cause.
Much of the guitar work is down-tuned and together with spirited drums and bass notes works well with the overall vibe. But like on the lovely track “God’s on fire” the guitars play wonderful acoustic notes enriching the track with serious serenity.
“Shall We Take a Turn” is one of the album’s best overall songs. It is an awesome instrumental track that soars through the clouds but is still aggressive enough to be metal.
The album’s epic journey is the 21 ½ minute title track venture. This song actually makes little sense but it could have been formed this way due to Finnish folklore. It consisted of 5 ½ minutes of awesome instrumentation and then 16 minutes of a slow drum beat over silence.
Much of the Internet’s buzz is negative surrounding the positive downright cheery tone of this record but that is why this record succeeds when many in the genre fail.
Metal does not always “have” to be negative and nasty to be “real” especially folk metal which deals with real life cultures and experiences, which are bad and good. And the album does have slower more reflective pieces on tracks like “Mill of Pain” and “Yoik of the Wolf.”
Bottom line here is that besides needing a bit more lead guitar play and having a less confusing title track, this is a fun folk metal release and is recommended for purchase.
Label: Nuclear Blast
Band Members:
Jonne Järvelä – Vocals & Guitar
Kalle “Cane” Savijärvi – Guitar
Jarkko Aaltonen – Bass
Matti “Matson” Johansson – Drums
Jaakko “Hittavainen” Lemmetty – Violin, Jouhikko, Bagpipes, Flute
Juho Kauppinen – Accordion
Track Listing (English Language Translations)
1. Tapporauta (Killing Iron)
2. Metsämies (Lumber Jack)
3. Keep on Galloping
4. Northern Fall
5. Shall We a Take a Turn
6. Paljon On Koskessa Kiviä (The Rapid Has Many Rocks)
7. Ali Jäisten Vetten (Under The Icy Waters)
8. Gods on Fire
9. Nuolet Nomalan (Rabbit Arrows) (Bonus Track)
10. Kantaiso (Ancestor)
11. Kipumylly (Mill Of Pain)
12. Suden Joiku (Yoik Of the Wolf)
13. Runamoine
14. Syntykoski Syömmehessäin (Rapids Of Birth From My Heart)
15. Korven Kuningas (King of The Woods)
HRH Rating: 7.7/10