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Korpiklaani - Manala review




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Reviewer:
7.0

170 users:
7.45
Band: Korpiklaani
Album: Manala
Release date: August 2012


Disc I
01. Kunnia
02. Tuonelan Tuvilla
03. Rauta
04. Ruuminmultaa
05. Petoeläimen Kuola
06. Synkkä
07. Ievan Polkka
08. Husky Sledge
09. Dolorous
10. Uni
11. Metsälle
12. Sumussa Hämärän Aamun
13. Soil Of The Corpse [Jewel case bonus]

Disc II [Limited edition bonus]
01. Honor
02. At The Huts Of The Underworld
03. The Steel
04. Soil Of The Corpse
05. Predator's Saliva
06. Dark Side
07. Ieva's Polka
08. Husky Sledge
09. Dolorous
10. Dream
11. Off To The Hunt

Korpiklaani are one of the bands most notorious for churning out album after meaningless album with seemingly little thought or care. It is with some surprise then that Manala, even still conforming to the one-album-per-year rule, is actually quite alright.

From the start Manala sounds more purposeful and deliberate. Perhaps as a result of the album's theme; "Manala" being the realm of the dead in Finnish mythology, you won't have the misfortune of finding stupid songs about yet another alcoholic drink. "Tuonelan Tuvilla" (The Huts Of The Underworld) and "Rauta" (The Steel) especially kick the album off at a steady and solid pace, the latter song being a fantastically catchy and mid-paced stomper.

Korpiklaani have always been a nice example of a band who bring metal to folk music, rather than the other way around. Though despite the dark theme of the album and more sinister songs like "Petoeläimen Kuola" (Predator's Saliva) than we might have expected, Korpiklaani are largely still the same band. Manala may be one of the heaviest Korpiklaani albums to date, but if you've already saturated your tolerance to this band in the last years, it probably isn't going to be winning most of you round.

With Manala, the band have given us an album that doesn't sound quite as laboriously churned out as the rest. It is a refreshing album as far as Korpiklaani albums go, and may give a few people a nice little surprise. Even to the end of the album "Metsälle" (To The Hunt) is an enjoyable song, but Korpiklaani have such a distinctive style that the chances are you will already know if you'll want to bother picking this up or not.

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Folk metal
Nuclear Blast
Finland
Length: 39:29


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 7
Production: 9





Written on 03.08.2012 by Member of Staff since 2006


Comments

Comments: 4   Visited by: 315 users
03.08.2012 - 16:16
Rating: 9
truenoacero

Good review, i've enjoyed this album and i think that is better their previous stuff.
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03.08.2012 - 18:39
Opethian

I could never get into this band. I always preferred other Folk Metal groups like Heidevolk and Turisas Great Review Baz!
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04.08.2012 - 01:40
LeChron James
Helvetesfossen
FUCK. I was expecting a song called Bourbon. My birfday is ruined.
----
Kick Ass, Die Young

Less is More
Stay Pure
Stay Poor

Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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05.08.2012 - 01:51
ThunderAxe1989
Account deleted
"Kunnia".....such a great song! and "Rauta" is very fun (a drinking game should be made on how many times they say 'Iske' ) ......Those are the only two songs I've heard thus far, I love them! I don't like the English versions that much though, the Finnish ones flow better.
When I go to Canada, I might purchase this
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