Kuolemanlaakso - Uljas uusi maailma (2012)

Dropping on November 23rd we have Kuolemanlaakso’s debut full-length “Uljas uusi maailma” on Svart Rcords. This Finish band with members of Swallow The Sun (on vocals), Chaosweaver (on guitar), delivers a very interesting mix of Doom Metal elements with dark and dirty atmospheres that sound very imposing. Written and delivered all in Finish, this eight tracks are very well shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere, unlike anything the band members have ever done before.

Opening with the moody “Minä elän”, the band set the stage for a solid riffing onslaught that is quite heavy and engaging. Mikko Kotamäki’s vocals are his typical growl/shrieks from STS with some heavier sections like on Algazanth, nothing new here, but it does bring a certain level of familiarity to the music for fans of his bands. The sick atmospheric keyboards that the cake in this song since they are used very sporadically and to great effect. “Kuun Lapset” follows a similar pattern but with more keyboards and a very dominating bass guitar line.

The album starts to get familiar in the third track, but the weird ritualistic “Roihusydän” nicely stirs up the flow of the release. Our favorite track is the totally Doomy “Etsin” and its long and painful riffs paired with very tight drumming. This song has a nice old-school Death Doom vibe to it, something that we highly identify with. “Uljas uusi maailma” is indeed the most interesting track in this release since it features a lot of guest vocalists, very funky keyboard elements, and a totally unique vibe.

The closer “Aurinko” is another very Doomy track that will remind all people of STS with a Jazzier side to them, indeed a very good song and a solid closer. Overall, “Uljas uusi maailma” is a quite unique release that while not being extremely crazy and Avant-garde, showcases interesting tracks and a unique sound (at times). The band’s only fault is that most songs seem a bit disconnected (in terms of sound) making the whole release sound a bit like a hack-job of slapping together tracks written over many years. While this does not make this release bad at all, it just flows in a very weird way, but we can still recommend it.

Release: November 23rd, 2012

Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal

Country: Finland