'Darkness Arrives In The North' is the rough translation for Kuoleman Galleria's second full-length barrage of bleakness. This Finnish mob are self described as black 'n' roll, a tag which I don't think amply describes exactly what noise is unfurled from this album. Musically, the band draw from a wide range of styles, not too dissimilar from the mentality of a glut of Scandinavian bands, such as Blood Command or Kvelertak.
However, where these bands feel like they are recklessly and unpredictably barrelling toward their target, Kuoleman Galleria have a more focused sound. If tight-knit ferocity and a penchant for sharp riffing sounds like your thing, then this slab of upbeat misery could be up your street.
The album does slightly outstay its welcome, clocking in at 14 songs, or just shy of an hour. Whilst the quality doesn't necessarily dip, the punchiness of the beer-drinking rock aspect can get lost, and trimming a couple of tracks off would help. Some songs can bleed into the next as familiarity sets in, as can be the case for other non-English speaking bands, and as an English-speaking listener, sometimes, it can be difficult to differentiate between tracks.
However, Vainajan Virsi offers a change of pace with cleaner guitars and multiple whispered vocals peppered in to ensure your descent into lunacy. I had to pause to be sure I wasn't hearing voices in my head. The latter stages of the album do see the band flex some of their collective skills for the divergent. The swirling, almost doomy stomp of Ajan Hammas is another highlight. The black metal influence still stands at the forefront, as the predominantly low-end shrieks punctuate the core sound. The enveloping darkness of the album permeates most of the atmosphere and looms larger than the other influences. Whilst lacking in the melancholy of an Insomnium, we are treated to a grim defiance and technically proficient account of life in the bitter coldness of Finland.
7/10
Review by Ben A.
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