Released: 2024

Finland 

Kalmantach is a Finnish progressive death metal band from Pori / Helsinki area. The band has been active since 2008, but took a 10-year break until 2022, when they returned with the exact same lineup as in 2011.

Fenix – The most important songs on the album are the opening and closing tracks, as these are the most memorable and set the foundation for the entire record. Something tells me there are long outros or intros in store. A pleasant-sounding mood-builder, it could have been shortened at the start of the album and/or be as an extended version at the end of the record.

Ei – The album finally kicks off, and HARD! If this doesn’t get your head banging, nothing will! The chorus has a slight King Diamond vibe in the guitars, which doesn’t come as a surprise when you look at the album cover; undoubtedly, *Them* comes to mind. The structure is magical and maintains the energy very well. The song ends impressively epic.

Remissio – There’s clearly something ‘80s, Megadeth-like in here, but at the same time, something unique to the band. The chorus is very atmospheric and immersive. There’s no lack of attitude in this track! The 1:30 min outro at the end of the song would usually be fine, but on such a short album, it feels like it unnecessarily stretches the song. There is a ”Director’s Cut” version of this track, which is the perfect package with a shorter outro!

Veren Virta – The riffs keep hammering forward with an old-school thrash vibe, but at this point, you start to feel that the songs may have been recorded and mixed at different times. The sound is noticeably different and thinner compared to the next track. There’s something very similar in the intro to the song *Ei*. The song itself is fine, a good solid track, but it doesn’t ignite any particular excitement or disappointment. The outro, once again, is LONG, with two minutes of pure outro in a 5:30-minute song, which makes up 40% of the song’s total length. The melody is nice, but the overall experience suffers.

Seitti – The song is 9 minutes long, but it manages to keep your interest all the way through, which isn’t easy! *Seitti* is a great closing track; the final moments soar to epic heights before the band slams the instrument shut with a fist and drops the mic, heading out for beers with rockstar flair! This amazing track could have used more substance; it feels more like an EP than an LP.

A 32-minute album with an over five-minute instrumental intro and four songs (with long outros on some tracks). Some might call this an EP instead of a full album (I belong to that group). The sound world is clear, and the riffs aren’t muddy, but there are a few odd moments. Overall, the album contains some great gems; the songs are mostly very well written, and the melodies are captivating! I would take my time building this album further, making it more comprehensive with more songs and stronger sounds! Because this is definitely something I’d want to listen to more!

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Band:

Jonne ”Monni” Saarinen – Vocals  

Kari ”HC” Luotonen – Drums  

Janne Saine – Bass  

Lauri Hurtola – Guitars  

Mikko ”Mickey Boy” Rintamäki – Guitars

Reviewed by: Pauli Hodju