When it comes to talking about folk metal in its modern form, I find it inexcusable not to mention Korpiklaani. They may not be the band that revolutionized the style or pushing it to the boundaries of all that it can offer, but there’s very little you can do to argue that they’re one of the biggest bands to be closest to the very soul of folk metal itself. Their streak has been no less than vastly entertained any time that they put out a new effort that’s filled with the goodness they’ve become synonymous with, and that’s no different than with this brand new effort.

While I dare to say that Korpiklaani’s sound isn’t revolutionary, I can’t sit here and deny that their sound is unique with it becoming the template that many, many younger folk metal acts out in the underground have taken an immense liking to with plenty delivering great albums with it, but no one can do it quite like the originators. While tackling many themes that the band has become familiar with over the years from nature to folklore, their blend of folk metal with plenty of other sounds that grace the world of metal is on full display yet again with “Jylhä” as it proves to be one of the more dynamic Korpiklaani works made, in my opinion, and all thirteen tracks of this hour-long album come together very nicely to form what’s easily the first worthwhile folk metal record of the year. Blessed by gorgeous melodies and a hypnotic violin that makes every track more than worth listening to, many may argue that Korpiklaani is in some sort of a slump, but I cannot argue against that enough. “Jylhä” is varied to an extent that’s no less than tantalizing as we can just as easily be absorbed into a vastly intoxicating and catchy song that knows how to hold the attention of the listen unconditionally to fascinating takes on what may have happened to bodies that were found in graves within a Finnish spring from the Iron Age, and with this being their eleventh album since their 2003 debut it’s hard to deny how overwhelmingly well-equipped Korpiklaani was to demolish competition on this release which they absolutely did.

While this is far from a next-level release in any form if you ask me, I cannot deny the pure magic behind what Korpiklaani has accomplished here and I know for a fact that it will be heralded in gloriously like it very well deserves. Without a direct meaning, “Jylhä” means to be majestic in a ruggedly beautiful way, making it a far more than fitting name for this album in every way.

LISTEN to “Jylhä” via multiple sources here.

LIKE Korpiklaani on Facebook here.