Verikalpa had been an integral part of the Scandinavian Pagan/Folk Metal scene for a good ten years before their debut finally arrived in 2018 – now there’s no stopping them! We had another instalment in 2020 and already, right here at the beginning of 2022 album number three comes hurtling towards an unsuspecting Metal public – all angry, venomous and Finnish. Yes, sung in Finnish from start to…well, finish, it’s a tongue that lends itself well to Verikalpa’s particular brand of upbeat, angst-ridden, folk-laden Metal.
As this is album number three many people reading this will be familiar with the band’s sound, but for the unfamiliar, current Verikalpa come across like a pissed off Korpiklaani, wrestling with Finntroll, whilst Ensiferum, Turisas and Moonsorrow chip in every now and again, just to rile things up even further. Most of the album’s tracks are heavy and up-beat with fast tempos, ramped up even further by pounding drums, thundering bass and heavy, chunky guitars. On top of this we have top notch harsh Metal vocals and usually a liberal smattering of accordion. Though it is synthesised, it doesn’t really sound unauthentic and carries the melody for many of the songs well on its own, with the rest of the band seemingly concentrating on making the music as heavy as possible.
And it works! This is a band driving their sound forward with fury and wrath, wielding swords, shields and accordion in anger. With the lyrics being in Finnish, I can only guess that there is ale quaffing, feasting and general revelry on offer, because the music just utterly lends itself to it! If this is an album that comes with a weighty political message and being English I’ve missed it, then I apologise, but I do feel that even Churchill’s “Fight them on the beaches” speech might have lost a little of its gravitas if there was an accordion noodling away in the background. So revelry it is as far as I’m concerned and long may it continue in the company of Verikalpa, who unashamedly seem to brandish a musical message that belligerently states “We Are Verikalpa, we play Folk Metal, and if you don’t like it we’ll come round later, drink all your beer and then burn your house down”. Just as well that I like it anyway then.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
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