Release Date

Waltari comes back with a vengeance! Even though the masters of Finnish weirdo metal have activated their release policies to a much more frequent level in recent years, Release Date is their most vigorous and delightfully annihilating album in a long, long time. As can be expected, Waltari defies and spits on simple genre-placement very quickly. The starter Get Stamped combines speedy metal riffing with quirky electronics and an überblasting chorus. Kärtsy Hatakka is on fire on the vocal department, whether screaming high or warbling low. The guy may definitely turn heads or plain confuse with his singing, but no one can blame him for lack of originality. I like his singing very much, as he sounds like a philosophical maniac: kind of like an Ian Andersson for the new millennium. Big Sleep makes a brilliant jab at slightly spacier, rocking grooves and atmospheres that make you feel like freaking out on mushrooms. Let’s Puke Together is everything the name would lead you to believe: very thrashy and fast metal with an undeniable destroydestroymoshpit –vibe. After a very heavy opening we begin the decent into madness as the 36-minute, thematically intertwined Cityshamaani-epic begins with off-timed, jabbing riffage that is like the audial version of some sort of catharsis. The shaman-piece is spread over five songs and encompasses everything from proggy rock fests to loungy, jazzy piano interludes, more space rock bonanzas and heavy beatdowns a plenty. Feel the techno metal-symbiosis of The Incantation Party and get freaky! Some of the soaring, even slightly symphonic-by-atmosphere parts remind me of Devin Townsend’s solo work, especially the fantastic Terria. After this half-hour monstrosity of awesomness comes the punkish psychedelia of Hype, which is an absolutely ridiculous follow-up to the epic. Or is it just what the album called for? Following a giant symphony of sound with a goofy, deranged, three-and-a-half-minute rocker? Indeed, it could be just what the mad doctor ordered. More punk is offered on THD, the even shorter pogoing machine. Sex In The Biergarten goes back to the old school metal vibes that started the record, all the way to the shouted gang choruses that are like straight from a classic Exodus track. The only weaker link is Wish I Could Heal, which doesn’t lift itself up to a crowning moment in the end, as the Korn-like riffing that starts the song off is simply flaccid. There are still some cool heavy blasts in the middle and a very singalongable chorus that saves the song from being a total wreck. The bonus track Spokebone is an ethnic music-with-metal melting pot that features Tomi Joutsen of Amorphis, Ville Tuomi of Sub-Urban Tribe and the biggest ethnic band in Finland, Värttinä to create something quite odd. The production is punchy and strong throughout with nothing to be desired. Not even more bass is needed, as my grooving sensibilities were more than satisfied. All in all, Waltari’s new album is a brilliant showing of extremely versatile metal n’ rock that is recommended highly for everybody, but should especially please people who dislike labelling music and like to listen to stuff that feels likewise.