Kalmah Album: “Black Waltz [Japan Bonus Track]”

I really like all of Kalmahs previous releases, but they seemed to be lacking in some way; like they were on the cusp of something great but just couldnt push it over the edge. Well now they have. This is the best Melodic Death CD I have ever heard! They simply took the best elements out of every band out there and forged them into something amazing. The synth are a not so in your face version of Children of Bodom, The lead guitar harmonies are a beautiful mixture of Dark Tranquilites fast stacato riffing mixed with the violence and melody of old in Flames. The softer parts alude to my personal favorite 'Insomnium'. This has been the only cd i have been listening to for several weeks now just because there is no reason to listen to anything else. Kalman has perfected the genre! All hail.

Of all Kalmah's albums, the vocals on Black Waltz are the most commanding, and the production value is at its peak. The songs are all complex and layered, and have well crafted transitions throughout. The album positively 'works' together as a whole, with every song contributing its weight, and is easily played straight through. I was a fan of Kalmah from Swamplord and Swampsong, so I pre-ordered Black Waltz off Amazon a few years back. This album was a contender for best metal album of 2006, and is still on my listening rotation; it desreves your attention.

If you're a fan of Kalmah or melodic death metal, buy this cd!!

It is a must for any fan of that genre.

By far the best record ever from Kalmah with 11 tracks of non-stop heavy songs and great mix of symphonic sounds and electric guitar.

Kalmah is proving to be like a fine wine or beer, improving in depth, complexity, and taste with age. Their tuning is down for a deeper, more tectonic effect, and the richness of their instrumentation and melodies are waaay up. Anyone with the slightest sympathy for melodic death metal owes it to themselves to check out this unique, energizing band.

The biggest change in this band's style is the vocals. Gone are the higher pitched vocals in favor of a lower toned death metal style. While I prefer the higher pitched vocals in this style of music, the lower ones work well for Kalmah because their music is much heavier than stand melo death. There is heavy riffs and pounding drums that akin back to regular death metal. Sure, there are plenty of melodies and harmonies and all that, but the guitars really shine with the guitar solos that are all over the place. The most interesting thing is that the keyboard and the guitars compliment each other so much. Sometimes they will both play the same parts with different pitches or other times they will play different parts that couldn't exist or sound right without the other one.

The deep throated vocals can be understood most of the time, giving the songs a more enjoyable quality. Melodies in the begging, middle, and end are surround by thunderous drums, heavy guitars, and those awesome growls that come from the gut.