Korpiklaani - Manala

Okay, let me just preface this review by saying that if you're not already a fan of Korpiklaani's signature blend of folky drinking-song party metal and Finnish mythology, this album is not going to make a convert out of you. If, however, you're the sort of person who likes to grab a goat, strap on a loincloth, and jump around a bonfire while drinking beer out of a hollow tree stump, then this album is for you.

Unless you're planning to buy them dinner.

Honestly, Manala doesn't break a whole lot of new ground where the Forest Clan is concerned, but it does showcase what they do, and do well: write catchy as fuck headbangy songs with metal and accordions.

Actually, considering the trouble they've had keeping a fiddler since the last album, the violin work of Tuomas Rounakari seems to be right in the forefront on most of the songs.  Violin is not metal, you say?

And off my blog.

There are a few standout songs, specifically 'Rauta/The Steel', 'Ruuminmultaa/Soil of the Corpse', and 'Petoeläimen kuola/The Predator's Saliva'. Not surprisingly the three standout songs are the 'heaviest' or at least the most frantic on the album.  Fronted by Jonne Järvelä's characteristic bark, they are all good old metal stompin' fun and I'm willing to bet will be awesome live, provided their tours every reach the hot sweaty anus that is Florida where your humble Trollfiend resides.

You're welcome for this not being an actual picture of a sweating anus.

 For the most part I find that I prefer the Finnish versions of the songs; if nothing else sometimes the translation into English makes for awkward phrasing ("predator's saliva"? What, bear spit? Huh? Oh yeah...read THOSE lyrics...it's about how Osmotar, the 'father of beer', first got beer to ferment using, well, bear spit.  I would not make this shit up).  Many times the Finnish words just sound cooler to my untrained ear, as with the opening track 'Kunnia'/'Honor'.

Korpiklaani - 'Kunnia'

Korpiklaani - 'Honor'

I'll let you enjoy these two silly lyric/promo videos from Nuclear Blast so you can get an idea what I mean about the language difference.  To my ear, the Finnish sounds better.

Anyway, I have to admit that when I heard the first single off this album ('Metsälle') I was a little concerned that the K-dogs were getting into a rut. And while there is no doubt that this is a Korpiklaani album, it's still as infectious and frenetic as you would expect.  Also Jarkko Aaltonen's beard is fucking epic and rumour has it that it will get its own recording credit in the next album's liner notes.

And he can't trim it because it's a winter home for lemmings.