CURSE OF THE RED RIVER

The Finnish metal super group Barren Earth debuted in 2009 with the respectable Our Twilight EP, and 2010 saw the release of their debut full length album Curse of the Red River. Their EP consisted of four tracks of melodic death metal with epic prog tendencies, and on the album the tendencies are expanded into a significant factor in the music.

One does only need to listen to the opening title track with its shifts from deathy verses to cleaner soaring choruses to an intricate-yet-super heavy instrumental section to an acoustic passage complete with a gorgeous flute solo to see that this is not a one trick band. While some comparisons can be drawn at times to for example Opeth or Type O Negative, they are only spices thrown in their very original cooking. The cherry on top of this cake of great musicians is Kasper Mårtenson whose piano gets a lot of space even in the heavier sections, not to mention the various softer parts of pure beauty, and who brings a lot of vintage prog spirit with his flying keyboard solos, naturally in addition to choosing just the right tones to enhance the mood of each section.

It could be said that both of the Mårtenson composed pieces, Forlorn Waves and the Ritual of Dawn are album highlights, but that brings out the problem of how many tracks can one name as highlights. The brightest of them all might be the only track composed by guitarist Janne Perttilä, Flicker, which has some of the most brutal and most beautiful parts of the album in perfect harmony, and even some very balalaika sounding guitar work during the instrumental section. The most prolific composer of the group is the ex-Amorphis bassist Olli- Pekka Laine, who brings in four tracks, from which especially the aforementioned opening title track, co-composed by Kreator guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and the fast pased, quite rocking The Leer deserve an affectionate special mention.

The best new metal album I've heard in a long while, absolutely recommendable for friends of progressive death metal. The final half star is only a matter of standing the test of time.

****½

(Originally written for MetalMusicArchives)

A supergroup from the more progressive end of extreme metal, drawing deep from the Amorphis well and with Dan Swano behind the mixing desk? Well, it's an idea which looks good on paper, but the results very much depend on how keen you are on Amorphis' latter-day progressive style. Not that this is a clone band, mind - just that with two former members of Amorphis onboard, there's inevitably some crossover in aesthetic taste.

In particular, when it comes to its death metal influences this is very much on the more accessible side of the melodic death metal camp, to the point where there are segments of the album where Mikko Kotamäki's growls are more or less the only discernable death metal component of the mixture.

Where Barren Earth take things in a different direction is the vintage prog influences in their performances, especially in the keyboards, which are a bit more nostalgic and steeped in the 1970s style than Amorphis' more modern- sounding progressive moments. This may be where comparisons to Opeth hail from; either way, it makes the album an interesting listen, though I do question just how much fruit is going to grow in this Barren Earth.

"Curse of the Red River" is the debut full-length studio album by Finnish doom/death metal act Barren Earth. The album was released through Peaceville Records in March 2010. It´s the follow-up release to the "Our Twilight" EP from November 2009. Barren Earth was formed in 2007 by bassist by Olli-Pekka Laine (Amorphis). He had composed material which didn´t fit any of the other projects he was involved in and decided to form a band to record his material. Having been a member of Amorphis from 1990-2000, Laine had been an integral part of the Finnish metal scene and had many contacts within the scene, which made it possible for him to recruit seasoned musicians like guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö (Waltari, Kreator), lead vocalist Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow the Sun), guitarist Janne Perttilä (Põhjast, Rytmihäiriö, Moonsorrow), drummer Marko Tarvonen (Moonsorrow, October Falls), and keyboard player Kasper Mårtenson (Amorphis) for the project.

Other than a re-recording of "Our Twilight" from the 2009 EP, the remaining 8 tracks on "Curse of the Red River" are new compositions featuring Barren Earth´s take on progresssive doom/death. Imagine what it would sound like if mid-90s Amorphis and early- to mid-00s Opeth met and jammed (add to that a strong gothic metal-era Tiamat influence on the closing track "Deserted Morrows"). It´s heavy and doomy death metal alright, but it´s quite sophisticated and features both growling vocals and clean vocals. The omnipresent use of vintage keyboards like organ, mini-moog, and mellotron provide the material with a distinct touch of 70s progressive rock, but still within the context of the doom/death metal basis of the music. It´s one of the great assets of "Curse of the Red River", that Barren Earth are able to make the different elements of their music sound completely natural together. It´s overall a very melodic album, and the band excel in producing melancholic leads and harmonies. There´s also an occasional ethnic Scandinavian folk touch to some of the parts. It´s a flavor more than a dominant element though.

"Curse of the Red River" is a well produced album, featuring a heavy, detailed, and organic sounding production, which suits the material perfectly. It´s an album featuring high level musical performances, intriguing songwriting, and an audible enthusiasm for the project from all involved. "Our Twilight" (2009) was a great teaser, but the promise made on the EP is fulfilled on "Curse of the Red River". A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)