As a reviewer, you live for that one record from a band you’ve never heard of that completely blows you away. For me, one of the most memorable examples of that in years was Kiuas’ 2005 record The Spirit of Ukko. It was one of those rare records that grabbed me on the first spin and remained in my CD player for most of the remainder of the year. So it’s no surprise that I’ve been eagerly awaiting this follow-up. Now it’s in my hands, and while I don’t really think it’s on par with the previous release, I’m certainly not disappointed either.

Reformation features the same blend of power metal, pagan folk metal, thrash and death metal as the previous release, though on this record, the death element is toned down and the thrash and folk come to the forefront. Still, one of the strongest songs on the record, “Black Winged Goddess,” opens with a very Morbid Angel-ish death segment. That song in itself is worth the price of the CD.

The band also displays much more complexity in some of the songs on this record, for example, the proggish “Through the Ice Age.” That’s both good and bad. On the one hand, it gives the album more depth and interest, on the other, it can at times take away from the chest-pounding Manowar-style sing-along anthems that Kiuas’ sound is made for. Mikko Salovaara continues to lay down both amazing riffs and leads all over the album. His neoclassical sweeps on songs like the aforementioned “Through the Ice Age” are nothing short of brilliant, and the entire album is a clinic on how power metal should be done, with grit and balls. Singer Ilja Jalkanen adds to that prototype with vocals that are anything but weak and can go from a gritty hard rock delivery to smooth harmonies to a death growl. Likewise, keyboardist Atte Tanskanen knows his place in the music, accentuating the movements of the songs, but never overpowering the song.

While Kiuas opts for a more complex sound on most of the album, they still have a few mead hall sing-alongs, like “Of Ancient Wounds,” with its catchy, tankard-waving chorus. Surprisingly, the ballad “Bleeding Strings,” about a fallen guitar hero, is another strong number. It has an almost blues-rock groove on the opening verse and a memorable chorus. Though it tends to conjure up thoughts of “Dimebag” Darrell in my mind lyrically, it could be about any number of great guitarists that were taken from the world too soon.

The record closes by putting the focus back on the folk element with the title track, subtitled Wrath of the Old Gods. The song features a lot of classical elements, along with pipes and other traditional instruments, and the requisite lyrics about primitive gods and forests. It’s a fitting end to a record that takes the listener on a journey through many styles and worlds. I said it in my review of The Spirit of Ukko, and I’ll say it again in this one. Kiuas is the best band you’ve never heard of, and if they don’t soon ascend to the top of the power metal world, something is seriously wrong.

By Fred Phillips

[Kiuas]