Korpiklaani – Karkelo
Nuclear Blast Records
(4/5)
Calling all Folk metal fans of every decent! Korpiklaaini is back with their sixth full length release entitled Karkelo and it’s another one for those drunken nights spent amongst friends. Based off of the Folk metal sound Korpiklaani presents and song titles such as, but not limited to “Vodka” (Track 1), “Juodaan Viinaa (translated “We Drink Liquor”)” (Track 5), and “Bring Us Pints of Beer” (Track 8), there are no arguments that my previous statement is correct. But whether you have those drunken nights or not, it’s also easy to see that Korpiklaaini is a band that anyone can enjoy. Moving on, when you listen to all 12 tracks it’s hard to really choose favorite tracks because the whole album is excellent, but there are a few I would personally suggest. Other than the 3 tracks listed above, I’d suggest listening to “Mettänpeiton Valtiaalle” (Track 4), “Vesaisen Sota” (Track 10), and “Kohmelo” (Track 12). All of the tracks listed in this review bring their own “personalities” to the mix, but they all mesh well with the other 6 tracks to make an overall excellent album. So, all in all, I love this album and would suggest it to any previous Korpiklaani fans, previous Folk metal fans, or any new fans to either Korpiklaaini or Folk metal.
*Note: Track listing are based off of the standard CD and not the 13-track digipak version of Karkelo.
Korpiklaani – Korven Kuningas
Nuclear Blast Records
(4/5)
Normally, Folk music and Metal can be found on totally opposite ends of the spectrum, but thanks to the efforts of Korpiklaani and similar bands, the two styles have been mashed together to form the new soundtrack to a night at the bar! The most recent release of this kind by Korpiklaani is entitled Korven Kuningas. Korven Kuningas is the fifth release for this Finnish Folk metal band and is written in the native Finnish language in an effort to reconnect the music to its roots. Altogether, Korpiklaani consists of guitarists Jonne Järvelä and Kalle “Cane” Savijärvi, bassist Jarkko Aaltonen, drummer Matti “Matson” Johansson, Jaakko “Hittavainen” Lemmetty playing violin, jouhikko, and woodwinds, and Juho Kauppinen on accordion. To compare these six guys’ sound to anything else I have heard, I’d have to say that they sound like a Finnish version of Flogging Molly! And to be honest, I never thought I’d mention an accordion player in a Metal band! Overall, Korven Kuningas is a different experience than what I expected, but I really like this album and Korpiklaani as a whole. Of the 15 tracks on the album, it is hard to say which ones are the “best”, but my personal favorite is the single off the album, “Keep On Galloping”. This song combines the “bounce” of the polka/folk feel with a bit of the heaviness of the guitars. Another great track is the first track of the album, “Tapporauta”. This song really gives you a feel for the Folk metal genre with it’s Heavy metal style opening and its fast paced, polka feel, throughout the rest of the song, that is spiced up with, what sounds like, some double bass from Matti. A few other good tracks to listen to are “Ali Jäisten Vetten”, “Kipakka”, and “Suden Joiku”. All in all, if you really like the Folk sound of Flogging Molly infused with some Metal guitar parts and lyrics in Finnish, sit back, grab a pint or three (if you’re of legal age), and enjoy Korven Kuningas!
