Artist: Cales
Title: KRF
Type: Album
Label: Metal Breath Production

It may well be a well worn heavy metal review cliché, but I’m going to use it anyway: “I never expected this”. Looking at the gloomy album cover, and various descriptions of Czech band Cales as folk-doom, (which I don’t see), I never really expected something of this massive quality. The whole folk metal thing may be a bit of a trend at the moment, but there is a huge gulf between those that can and those who tap up any old violinist in their local bar and start recording “hey nonny-nonny” nonsense weeks after. Listening to Cales is a bit like being some kind of metal Indiana Jones; it really does feel like you’re unearthing a hidden treasure.

Put simply, this is one of the most invigorating, innovative and idiosyncratic albums of the last couple of years. With unusual song structures, sprawling, epic songs and an interesting take on the whole pagan metal shtick, Cales have found themselves one of the most exciting finds of the year. It’s a difficult sound to categorise, (which is most definitely a good thing), but to the trained ear you may hear some surprising influences. The wind-swept sound of Bathory is there, as you might expect, but there are also very strong hints of the stomping mid-beat crawl of Immortal, the subtle atmospheres of Primordial and the eclectic individualism of classic Gods Tower. This has been so much of a grower, that in essence, the other review CD’s that I have had have all taken rather a back-burner, being unable to compete with the sheer quality of the album. If the rousing battle metal of “Resolution” doesn’t have you and your crew rushing down the beach, carrying your long boat between you, there may well be something very wrong with you.

Remember how blown away you were the first time you heard “The Gathering Wilderness”? This album produces the same effects on the listener. The production is perfect; a full bodied affair tending towards the throaty but otherwise clean vocals that occasionally veer off towards Korpiklaani territory, but never straying fully into pastoral idiocy. Perhaps the most impressive aspects of this release are that it always sounds authentic and sincere, unlike many who have jumped onto the folk metal band wagon. This is also essentially the work of one man, the improbably monickered “Blackosh” who metal pedants may recall was a member of Czech cult outfits Root and Crux. I can only assume that his singular vision has been translated perfectly here. From bizarre acoustic breaks, mid-song, to the sounds of war and battle, Cales have produced THE folk metal album of the year. Simply stunning. Check it out for yourselves at;

http://www.myspace.com/calesclan

Chris Davison

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