Kalmah - 12 Gauge

November 21, 2010

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

The Melodic Death Metal genre pretty much burned me out a while ago.  Overexposure, coupled with the disbanding of some of the better bands in the genre (Callenish Circle), the outright mainstream pandering of bands like Children of Bodom and In Flames, and the steep decline in quality of output by genre heavyweights like Dark Tranquillity had me quite jaded, and thus looking elsewhere for my heavy metal entertainments.  Kalmah was a band that I often found myself enjoying, and curiosity as to how they’d held up had me checking out and being pleasantly surprised by their latest Spinefarm Records release 12 Gauge. 

Often heavily (and unfairly) compared to fellow Finns Children of Bodom in their early career, Kalmah always seemed to be fighting to be recognized on their own merits, and I think they finally accomplished that feat with 2006’s career highlight The Black Waltz on which they toned down the keyboards, and successfully went for a decidedly heavier approach.  I didn’t think follow-up album For the Revolution was quite as strong, and the keys were a bit more prevalent, but with 12 Gauge, the heaviness has returned, and one of the stronger melodic death metal albums in years has materialized.   Right from the start, opening track “Rust Never Sleeps” sets the tone, showcasing the band’s skill at crafting a nice, thick weighty sound in a style all too often lacking in acceptable levels of heaviness.  A certain grand majestic feeling is invoked on “Better Not to Tell”, and some folkier flavorings can be found on several tracks, particularly “12 Gauge” and “Swampwar” both of which give Amon Amarth a run for their money.  Beyond the more mid-paced material, “Godeye” cooks with a pleasing intensity keeping satisfied those of us more brutally-inclined, and the amusing bonus track cover of Thin Lizzy’s staple “Cold Sweat” all combine to make for an enjoyable album that breathes a bit of new life into a genre long in need of it.

Release Date: February 24, 2010
Label: Spinefarm Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Rust Never Sleeps
2.  One of Fail
3.  Bullets are Blind
4.  Swampwar
5.  Better not to Tell
6.  Hook the Monster
7.  Godeye
8.  12 Gauge
9.  Sacramentum
10.  Cold Sweat
      (Thin Lizzy Cover)

Total playing time: 42:57

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