Palo
Kalmah · 2018
46 min · 10 tracks · power metal
A tempest of melodic death metal, blending intricate guitar harmonies with ferocious growls and anthemic choruses.
Top tracks — play these first
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Blood Ran Cold — This opening track sets a powerful tone with its relentless pace and haunting melodies, encapsulating the essence of the album's themes of struggle and survival.
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The Evil Kin — With its driving rhythms and lyrical exploration of dark familial ties, this track highlights Kalmah's knack for storytelling through music.
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Into the Black Marsh — This song combines atmospheric elements with heavy riffs, creating an immersive listening experience that showcases the band's songwriting prowess.
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Erase and Diverge — The intricate guitar work and dynamic shifts present in this track exemplify Kalmah's technical abilities while exploring themes of personal conflict.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Kalmah's 'Palo' showcases strong compositions and skilled execution, though it follows familiar patterns within its genre.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of dual guitar harmonies throughout, with intricate solos that often follow melodic themes established in the verses.
- Each track typically alternates between aggressive growls and clean vocals, creating a dynamic contrast that enhances the anthemic choruses.
- The first half of the album maintains a high tempo, while the latter half introduces slower, more atmospheric sections that provide a sense of depth.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo progression
- immersive melodic intricacies
- engaging lyrical themes
- dark atmospheric undertones
- focused headphone listening
Maybe skip if you
- prefer instant gratification
- seek standalone singles
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on January 1, 2018, Palo is Kalmah's seventh studio album, marking a return after their 2013 release, Seventh Swamphony. The band continued to refine their signature sound, incorporating elements of power metal while maintaining their melodic death metal roots, showcasing their evolution over nearly two decades in the industry.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Children of Bodom· Insomnium· Norther
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Blood Ran Cold 5:05
- 2 The Evil Kin 4:15
- 3 The World of Rage 4:30
- 4 Into the Black Marsh 4:19
- 5 Take Me Away 4:48
- 6 Paystreak 4:55
- 7 Waiting in the Wings 4:20
- 8 Through the Shallow Waters 4:24
- 9 Erase and Diverge 4:12
- 10 The Stalker 5:17
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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