Korpiklaani: still getting jiggy with it
PRESS
KORPIKLAANI HAVE LONG blended spirited folk metal with an authenticity that clings to the roots of Finnish folklore and the country’s unspoiled nature. Once the go-to band for alcohol-based anthems and impromptu festival conga lines, the drinking content has dimmed over the years, but their tenacity has not. While it could be said that Korpiklaani lack in the ingenuity department, the last couple of albums saw these restless Finns slow down their jam. On 2021’s Jylhä, their normally brisk jaunt through accordionand fiddle-flecked landscapes evoking forest scenes and rustic boozers took on a jazzy aspect, plucking sounds from Dream Theater rather than their usual rulebook. Lyrically too, the album deviated from the usual folkloric narrative, with topics including the 1960 Lake Bodom killings. For fans yearning for another Vodka, Jylhä was a gamble. It’s easy to imagine that Korpiklaani don’t give a crap about what other people think, but Rankarumpu has something to prove.
RANKARUMPU HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE
Fulfilling its billing as a “bit like the old Korpiklaani”, the band’s 12th studio album has its pedal to the metal from the first chanty strains of opener Kotomaa. In quick succession, Tapa Sen Kun Kerkeet sees Jonne Järvelä gruffly spitting lyrics atop a flurry of rabid riffs and accordion, and Aita is a circle-pit-baiting ditty chock-full of beer-sloshing chants. So far, so Korpiklaani.
In fact, Rankarumpu is exactly how you’d hope Korpiklaani to sound in 2024 if your expectations revolve around zippy, accordiondriven tavern metal. The addition of ex-Turisas violinist Olli Vänskä is undoubtedly a coup for this troupe. He displays incredible talent from the off, ‘riffing’ with accordionist Sami Perttula in only ways that a true master of their craft can muster. The breakneck, guitar-addled Mettään is a perfect example of the pair’s synergy, while the violin and accordion solos on No Perkele show the wealth of tools Korpiklaani have on offer to make their songs shine.