Album Review: Korpiklaani - Rankarumpu
Reviewed by Drew McCarthy
Folk metal is definitely an acquired taste and to be honest a genre that in the past I have never been the biggest fan of. However, after listening to this album Korpiklaani definitely have a new convert. The Finnish outfit have always been known for taking folk music and injecting a sense of fun into it, creating a great party atmosphere over their twenty years together as a band. Their new album, Rankarumpu, released by the legendary Nuclear Blast Records continues this trend somewhat, while some songs take an altogether different path.
Although songs like Happy Little Boozer that were found in abundance on previous albums seem to have been relegated to history, Rankarumpu still retains the liveliness of their past discography. Some songs on this album have a more melancholic vibe to them, the best example of this is the song, Oraakkelit, while it is predominantly a jovial sounding song, it does seem to slightly eschew the mood of celebration that the band have always been known for, in favour of generating a certain nostalgic feeling in its chords.
Metaann is the most interestingly composed song on Rankarumpu, starting off with a Judas Priest-esq riff, before the accordion comes roaring in, blending the familiar sound that fans of Korpiklaani will already know with something new entirely.
The title track of the album, is described as a song in honour of the members of the band and that is exactly how it sounds. The strength of the song is immediately apparent, thanks in no small part to the powerful drums that then lead to an energetic explosion, that resolves in the typical feast of the Nordics.
Rankarumpu, while staying true to the Nordic roots of the band, sees Korpiklaani dare to take a step forward and add new sonic elements to their familiar folk metal. Thus elevating it to a much more technical level, demonstrating it as an album that not only talks about partying and mindless drunkenness, but most importantly, returns to the core of the roots of the band, in a way bringing them closer to their ancestors. It is also be a brilliant album to have on in the background, while getting exceedingly drunk.
