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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Black Waltz, July 5, 2006
This is Kalmah's fourth album, entitled The Black Waltz. The album cover is positively ugly! Despite the terrible artwork, the album is very good. Perhaps the most notable change of the music is the vocals. Instead of the usual higher pitched screams (used in Black Metal), we have much lower death growls. I actually like these vocals more, although they are rather incoherent at times. The album is Melodic Death metal, with Thrash parts thrown in. The keyboards provide a grandiose Symphonic sound. The song lengths range from 4 minutes to 5 and a half minutes. (With the exception of Svieri Doroga, which is a minute long). Comparisons to Children Of Bodom are ridiculous, because Bodom is more power/melodic death, whereas this is much heavier (less `cheesy') Melodic Death. The keyboard act as more of an instrument, and accompanies the guitar with the solos. As per usual, the twin Gothenburg guitars are present: one doing lead/solos and the other as the rhythm guitar.
Defeat is a strong opener with eerie Symphonic parts mixed with bombtastic double bass drumming and a guitar-keyboard solo. (A good band comparison would be Wintersun (minus the clean vocals), as Wintersun mixes a load of genres together, with a lot of keyboard work.) Black Metallic Side sounds a little bit like Bodom, but it is heavier. Time Takes Us All begins with powerful drumming, orchestral keyboard work and catchy guitar riffs. To The Gallows mixes minor/diminished chords in the verse with major/minor chords to powerful bass work. The keyboards are not featured as much, leaving a more raw sound.
Svieri Doroga is an acoustic/drum interlude. The Black Waltz is a slower song (well slow compared to the first four pounding tracks), with long drawn out death growls. Around the 2.50 mark a slow string/drum part is played, followed by a beautiful solo. With Terminal Intensity is very reminiscent to a Dark Tranquillity song, vocals and all. There is a barrage of drumming to the keyboards. It also has quite a cool Thrash-like solo. Man Of The King is a fast frenzy of instruments. I love the chorus in this song. The keyboards play a rather horror-like melody, empowering the chorus. At the 2.08 mark the drums pound out an intense rhythm and all the instruments come together for the highlight of the song.
Groan of Wind is a little slower, with a delightful almost folk-like tune played with the guitars. It's an epic, highly melodic song. Mindrust is a heavier song, with the best solo in the album. From 2.51 there is a rather distorted, heavy section. One From The Stands has a catchy bass-drum introduction followed by the twin guitars. Although it's the last song, it's my favourite. This song is also quite Dark Tranquillity like.
I'd give this 4.5 because some of the songs sound too similar. Nevertheless the musicianship is excellent and the guitar work on is top form. I recommend this to Melodic Death metal fans, or to anyone who likes Metal and doesn't mind death vocals.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Somethin' is different.., May 23, 2006
When I first heard this.. I was amazed.. They matured! Their previous three albums were amazing, but as most other reviews have said.. They could never reach past epic.. Somethin' was holdin' 'em back. I gave this CD 4-stars only because of their style change.. The previous three albums I really prefered the higher pitch of the singer, rather than the death metal-ish kind in this album. It's great, don't get me wrong, however I was more into the different style of singin'. Along with that, The guitar work is different too. It's good, yet I do some-what miss Kalmah's old style too. One major thing I would of been disapointed about would be if they stopped their unique sound of their keyboard solos. Children of Bodom have it, Imperanon have it, and if Kalmah had changed it, I'm sure I would speak for a majority when I say I would be disapointed myself. Regardless.. Great album, worth the price. Enjoy metal @ it's purest.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Melodic Death Metals Manum Opus, April 12, 2006
I really like all of Kalmahs previous releases, but they seemed to be lacking in some way; like they were on the cusp of something great but just couldnt push it over the edge. Well now they have. This is the best Melodic Death CD I have ever heard! They simply took the best elements out of every band out there and forged them into something amazing. The synth are a not so in your face version of Children of Bodom, The lead guitar harmonies are a beautiful mixture of Dark Tranquilites fast stacato riffing mixed with the violence and melody of old in Flames. The softer parts alude to my personal favorite 'Insomnium'. This has been the only cd i have been listening to for several weeks now just because there is no reason to listen to anything else. Kalman has perfected the genre! All hail.
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