Finnish humppa masters get a label upgrade, now on Nuclear Blast, which means peoples around the globe are obviously warming to the infectious mix of metal and polka (generally delivered in their indecipherable native tongue). Finntroll may have been first to the table, but frontman and stylistic changes have widened the door for Korpiklaani, who are part of the Paganfest tour. Best at a full gallop, the mid-tempo ‘Metsamies’ would go down a storm at the retirement home. Sung in Polish or German instead of Soumi, it’s a 4/4 oomph, polka of first order, dominated by the accordion and fiddle, ably backed by metallic instruments. Not much of a stretch from ‘Keep On Galloping’ to old school Germanic power metal, a la Running Wild or Grave Digger. As with the last few releases, the lyrics are predominately non-English, but the sing-song melodies more than make up for any lack of comprehension. Now we know how the rest of the world has felt embracing metal vocals since the dawn of the genre! ‘Shall We Take A Turn?’ is an instrumental, heavy on the fiddle. ‘Gods On Fire’ is a mournful, English ballad, including acoustic guitar, accompanied by doses of accordion and fiddle. Bonus track ‘Nuolet Nomalan’ jumps out of the gate electrified, still possessing an ethnic ‘Hava Nagila’ rhythm coursing through the verses. Imagine Great Big Sea on speed. Might sound something like the jump around and break things intensity of ‘Kantaiso’. The pedestrian opening of ‘Suden Jioku’ disguises the band’s identity, although it rounds into shape later on, albeit something of a stylistic anomaly. Other than the flute and morose, sporadic drumbeats commencing ‘Syntykoski Syommehessain’, the concluding trio end the album’s 15 selections on an expected upbeat note. Party on Timo! Party on Mika!