KIUAS „The New Dark Age”

Music: Power Metal
Website: http://www.kiuas.net
Country: Finland
Cool songs: The New Dark Age, Black Rose Withered, The Wanderer’s Lamentation

There is no need to introduce the band to anyone, but if someone is not familiar with it, should be ashamed. Especially if he or she is devoted to power metal. KIUAS, the great Finnish power band, fascinated by its ancient mythology and pagan traditions reveals another secret of that icy and snowy land. ‘The New Dark Age’ is their eighth record, a third full-length release at the same time, and it seems that everything is working just fine. The KIUAS machinery is gaining momentum and no one is going to stop it.

What is so special about it? The answer is quite simple: KIUAS provides the listeners with an authentic and very entertaining piece of modern power metal. By modern I mean not huge amounts of electronic stuff or singing backwards, the music is pretty classic-like. But it cannot be locked in one drawer with other power metal performers. First of all the sound is out of this world: heavy, death like guitars, fleshy and pulverizing riffs, atmospheric keyboard parts and furious drums create a never ending iron symphony. The music is original, the musicians mix genres and thanks to it they move their creation a level higher. There is almost everything, from romantic and poetic ballads, melodic power metal, extreme speed metal to vicious death and black blasts which inject so much power that the CD simply sparks. The material is varied, the musicians juggle with pace and motifs, the rhythmic section is at least obese. Each song tells a different story, begins with a different manner, ends totally unpredictably and leaves so much music in the head that it wants to explode.

The ideas used on this album differ from the previous ones. ‘The Spirit of Ukko’ and ‘Reformation’ were more ferocious and aggressive albums, they represent the untamed nature of the people from the north, proud and strong. Those albums were much closer to melodic death metal than to a power ride. ‘The New Dark Age’ shows that the musicians have evolved. The style is the same, as it consolidated long ago, but the heavy blow disappeared somewhere. It is not a minus, because thanks to it the listeners can listen to something new, something unique and interesting. The compositions start quite chaotic and remain this way mainly till the end, the musicians deliberately add some chaos to the sound, thanks to it the music gains more savage power. Skillful shifts between styles help to regain the lost force (but still, it is not the same as on the previous records). The songs remain chaotic and savage mainly till the choruses which are fantastic melodic anthems, spilling inside one’s head like an ocean of music. That is the strength of KIUAS, this is the essence of their music. Huge, developed and spellbinding climaxes carrying the burden of the whole. Helping to survive between the main tides. This is the musical principle.

‘The New Dark Age’ is an album which should not be treated indifferently. The huge amount of ideas, melodies and various motifs smite the listener with their beauty and drag him to the enchanted land of sound. Listening to KIUAS equals with taking part in a real adventure which does not end together with the album. The ear wants more and more, so the CD stays in the player. It is the hottest disc straight from the land of ice.

note: 9.5/10

Tracklist

1. The Decaying Doctrine
2. Conqueror
3. Kiuas War Anthem
4. The New Dark Age
5. To Excel and Ascend
6. Black Rose Withered
7. After the Storm
8. Of Sacrifice, Loss and Reward
9. The Summoning
10. The Wanderer's Lamentation

Total playing time 51:30

Line-up

Ilja Jalkanen – vocals
Mikko Salovaara – guitars, vocals
Teemu Tuominen – bass
Atte Tanskanen – keyboard
Markku Näreneva – drums