No intention to sound like a nitpicker, but just for giggles and ho-hum, this in the review:
Quote:
Underworld, the equivalent of Hell in Finnish mythology
is not actually accurate. The album's theme is based around our national Epic, the
Kalevala, in which Manala is indeed the equivalent of an Underworld but if one is looking for comparatives, the underworld of Greek mythology is much closer. Touches of Valhalla of the vikings could be read into it as well. Point being that Manala is not presented as a Hell-style domain of "sinners", or in general bad folk and that there would be a higher-placed equivalent for good people, the righteous etc. Moreso Manala is the place where all souls, good and bad, pass from their physical dwellings and how they fare in there differs.
Just some cultural correcting, is all
Very apt review, good job. I feel Manala is the perfect album for those who have liked Korpiklaani but would prefer their stuff a bit heavier and at least momentarily downplay the, well, "silly". It's actually a bit of a shame for foreigners that one of the album's best songs, Sumussa Hämärän Aamun, is a bonus track on the Finnish-language version. It's dramatically slow for the band, really black Sabbath-vibed with a nice pounding crawl. It can probably be found on youtube or such for those who wish to sample it. Much better to buy the Finnish language version, of course
