Korpiklaani – Manala (2012)

Continuing with their high-spirited Folk Metal music, today we have Korpiklaani and their latest opus titled “Manala”.  Cranking out thirteen songs (including the bonus track) of uber catchy music, it is very cool to see that the band kept the creative juices flowing and managed to deliver another excellent album one year after the release of their previous one. Featuring a darker (and probably deeper) edge to their lyrical concept, the band has crafted a release that will surely please most of the older fans of the band and while not featuring their traditional ‘drinking song’, the cheerful spirit of the band is equally present in this release.

“Kunnia” gives way to this release with the typical up-beat Folk approach that has made the band world-know and has kept them as one of the best in the genre. The singing is very well crafted and nicely fits every mood transmitted by the band. The instrumentation is excellently selected and never abused, allowing the hard-rocking sound of the guitars to be enjoyed without any distractions. Things get a bit more powerful with “Tuonelan Tuvilla” thanks to the heavy guitars, with the violin nicely complementing them.

The playful “Rauta” features a bit of a different tempo from the first two, but the catchy chorus section makes this a perfect ‘un-official’ toasting song in our opinion. In a more Folk Metal traditional fashion: “Ruuminmultaa”, “Synkkä”, “Metsälle”, and “Uni”, will please the ears of more traditional Folk fans than the previous tracks, but don’t worry since this release features a bit for everybody, making it very balanced. The heaviest track in this release has to be the very powerful “Petoeläimen Kuola”. Our personal favorite is the epic anthem “Sumussa Hämärän Aamun” and its excellent melodic (yet very Heavy Metal) passages.

As we mentioned before, there is something for everybody in this release. You have a few very Folk-ish songs, some other heavier and darker tracks, and the typical songs that will make everybody go crazy and drink until the booze is gone. While we are a bit disappointed by the lack of a traditional boozing song, “Manala” still has songs that can easily be used for said purpose. It is good to see the band maturing and consolidating their sound to exactly what they want it to be, and we think that the fans will surely like and enjoy this release.

Release: August 14th, 2012

Genre: Folk Metal

Country: Finland