KALMAH - Swamplord
December 3, 2000, 24 years ago
(Spikefarm)
Here's the debut from a new Finnish outfit with a history dating back to '92. Originally going under the moniker Ancestor, which produced three demos but not a single commercial product, the line-up evolved, finally settling on three members (and recently a fourth!) from Eternal Tears Of Sorrow. The eight tracks whiz by in a mere 36 minutes, giving some indication of the musical content. With an ear for black metal vocals, the instrumentation is more in keeping with countrymen/label mates Children Of Bodom and, to a lesser extent Sonata Arctica. Not as vicious as COB, nor quite as melodic as the Arcticans, although bearing some resemblance to the traditional and power metal camps, apart from the vocal approach. Rapidly played hymns of blasphemy, with a high level of musicianship. The opening 'Evil In You' is fairly typical late '90s death, a tinge of melody creeping in, a la In Flames. The slow, haunting intro to the otherwise motorized 'Black Berija' and the synthesized start on 'Dance Of The Water' are surprising, but it's the mid-tempo, melody laden 'Hades' and the guitarwork on the calliope-styled begun 'Alteration' which truly stand apart.
