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Lively, beer-swilling music is what Korpiklaani writes and they’re among the elite folk metal bands. Much of the music is based from Finnish folk archives, which makes their music of the purest folk form…well, for a metal band. They have a few different approaches they use throughout with varying pace making this disc more dynamic.
Violin, accordion, jouhikko and flute, all instruments that you would find a folk band are included into the Korpiklaani arrangements. Without them you’d have a melodic metal band. These instruments add much to the music besides the folk feel. At times they are used as leads, solos, or sometimes as bridges between different elements. Guitars have a similar upbeat attitude as the folk instruments, giving the listener a positive vibe. The music is quite fulfilling because of it. Drumming is as rock-hard as any and it feeds the rest of the band ample structure. Vocals are mainly clean singing, with a hint of a grimace. Along with the main vocals the rest of the band joins in with group choruses to add to the folk atmosphere. Most of the lyrics are Finnish, but there are English components as well.
There are a couple different versions of “Korven Kuningas” including a Japanese release with “Kipakka” and a digipack form with “Nuolet Nomalan” as bonus tracks. That’s I guess if you needed more incentive to buy an already gratifying album. A couple favorite tunes I have are the single “Keep On Galloping” and “Northern Fall.”
15 tracks and well over an hour of spirited folk metal. Not that you another reason why to get drunk, but “Korven Kuningas” will give any folk metal fan another album to enjoy while drinking their ale or mead. Cheers!
Rating: 84
Reviewed By: Jeffrey D. Adkins