Kalmah - Seventh Swamphony (2013)

2013 has been a banner year for melodeath and this album is no exception. Like Children of Bodom, Kalmah started out with distinct neoclassical/power elements. Unlike Children of Bodom, Kalmah never really lost these elements even as they started writing heavier, more riff-based material. In any case, I think that Kalmah have done a better job than their Finnish compatriots in both staying true to their roots and delivering a solid album that fans will appreciate. "Seventh Swamphony" is chock full of heavy riffs, catchy melodies, and epic choruses. "Deadfall" and "Windlake Tale" are simply some of the best songs they've ever written. The quality is so consistent here even on their more experimental track "Hollo" which features clean vocals for the first time. I'm not sure how it matches up to their past albums as I'm not super familiar with Kalmah's discography, but it's definitely a great release and something I'll be coming back to.
9/10