CoC : Ikuinen Kaamos - The Forlorn : Review

Ikuinen Kaamos - _The Forlorn_
(Descent Productions, 2006)
by: Quentin Kalis (7.5 out of 10)

As far as this non-Finnish speaker can ascertain, Ikuinen Kaamos roughly translates as "Eternal Mystery" -- a name that suggests black metal origins, which Ikuinen Kaamos certainly were in their demo days. But _The Forlorn_ is far more than black metal, incorporating elements from doom, death and progressive metal to create a rather notable debut. Ikuinen Kaamos are clearly influenced by _Brave Murder Day_ era Katatonia and Opeth, in particular Akerfeldt's distinctive growls. But to dismiss them as a Finnish answer to Katatonia would be premature, despite featuring a member from fellow Finns and Katatonia worshippers Rapture. This is far from shabby, and this particular strain of melodic heaviness is hardly oversubscribed -- unlike, say, melodeath or so-called nu-metal.

Songs are lengthy and varied melancholic pieces. For example, opener "Frailty" veers between acoustic passages, Katatonia-esque reflection and furious blast beats over the course of its thirteen plus minutes. However, the song arrangements are less than convincing, and ultimately Ikuinen Kaamos suffer from the from the same problem as labelmates Gorath: that _The Forlorn_ feels incomplete; short of a break up or a severe case of writer's block, this will not be the definite Ikuinen Kaamos album, and similarly is a stepping stone towards something greater. Definitely a band for those of a melancholic bent to watch in 2007.

Contact: http://www.descent-productions.com

(article published 12/1/2007)