Search - Kalmah :: Swampsong

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See about me | North | 05/18/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Children of Bodom's last couple releases weren't atrocious, but they showed the band losing steam. The Finnish melodeath torch has been passed. Kalmah's received a bit of negative attention for sounding like Children of Bodom, but with each passing release Kalmah is subtley differentiating themselves from peers. I can't imagine CoB doing anything like slowing things down as the singer sings in a slow, baritone voice, like in the song "The Third, The Magical." Still, the staples are present; killer lead work that explores different melodic avenues but still shreds, thin raspy screams, swampy bass, and glittery keyboards straight from Atlantis. Kalmah's keyboards elevate the band above other bands that use keys, in the sense that they're -actually adherent to the compositions.- All this and some sharp, catchy arrangements equals a worthwhile album.

- Thus says the Pellington"

Swampsong re-writes musical history...

Philip N. Wright | 06/11/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kalmah, who truly are the kings of Alt. Melodic Death Metal, have done it again, and this time, their even better.



After Swamplord, which was an unforgettable album, many people were anxious about which direction this band would take, and if they would keep up the standard. Well, they have.



With killer songs like Heroes To Us, Cloned Insanity, Bird Of Ill Omen and Doubtful About It All, the band deliver excellent songs that you will never forget.



They are, simply put, brilliant musicians, and each of the members are fantastically talented. The guitar solos here are EXTREMELY good. They are catchy and memorable, showcasing the guitarists talent. The drums and bass are both exceptional and the singing and rythm are used really well to blend the whole thing into a ferocious onslaught of musical history.



Trust me, if you like In Flames or any other Melodic Death band, you should buy this album."

"Sweet Suodeth"

OzzyApu | Seattle, WA | 07/29/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The third release from the swamps would be this. Many became fans through the first and second releases, but a heap of them were convinced with the release of -Swampsong-. While really enjoying -Swamplord- and -They Will Return-, I knew it was time to hit this, so I gave it a go. Apparently child_of_the_jester_race explains the tracks pretty well, but much too biased. Nonetheless Kalmah is more than capable of churning epic...well, everything! However, after listening to the entire CD, this one, sadly to speak my mind, really didn't cut it as well as the first two Kalmah albums. I really don't mean to be harsh against Kalmah; I'm just saying that -Swampsong- really didn't do it well for me.



Track picks would be "Heroes To Us", "Burbot's Revenge", "Cloned Insanity", "The Third, The Magical", "Man With Mystery", and "Moon Of My Nights".



Although these are all good tracks to me, the real picks that I truly enjoyed were "Heroes To Us", "The Third, The Magical", and "Moon Of My Nights".



"Heroes..." - Charging opener about heroes lost to wars throughout mankind's history. The solo territory ranges from 2:25 to 4:00. The ending pounds the daylights out of everyone, but I still don't understand the scratching noise at the end.

"The Third..." - Slow song, starting with Pasi doing his trade. Very melodic and with a powerful riff. The chorus makes this one standout, being very orcish and deep, which is extremely good. The keyboard solo is too much to ask for, really well done.

"Moon..." - Probably my favorite song because it is the most unique one on the album. Has this driving rhythm with Pekka's deep yells during the verses. Pasi's playing makes this song so much more beautiful and shows how much effort and heart the members put into this song. Really enjoy the solo and the slow keyboard solo. The ending pounds you really well, but not without leaving a lavish mark.



There is also a bonus track called "Suodeth". My advice is to pick up the imported version that contains this track. It is absolutely stunning. They always have to make good tracks rare.



I really do listen to the entire Kalmah library, but this CD didn't make an impact as well as the first two. Musicianship wise, Kalmah wipes the floor with most bands and many within their own league, and that shows up on all the tracks here. I would recommend it highly anyways because any Kalmah album is a Kalmah album, featuring the best in wholesome, damn good Finnish Metal."