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Kiuas - Reformation review



Reviewer:
9.4

68 users:
7.66
Band: Kiuas
Album: Reformation
Release date: May 2006


01. Race With The Falcons
02. Through The Ice Age
03. The New Chapter
04. Of Ancient Wounds
05. Child Of Cimmeria
06. Black Winged Goddess
07. Heart Of The Serpent
08. Bleeding Strings
09. Call Of The Horns
10. Reformation
11. Hunting Girl [Jethro Tull cover] [Japanese bonus]

Sick of the same power metal bands? Clones like Freedom Call (Gamma Ray), Persuader (Blind Guardian) and the like? Enter Kiuas, the pagan warriors!

Kiuas, a young and original power metal band from Finland has made their second album. Now, what's going wrong? Yes, original, power and from Finland. Amazing, huh?

Kiuas is so different from bands like Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica... First the guitar. Kiuas has real power. It's very strong and crunchy. So much, it doesn't look like power, but thrash or death. In fact, Kiuas can't be described as only power metal. They have influences from almost any other metal genre. Mostly folk/viking. Some thrashy riffs there, blast beats here... "Black Winged Goddess," for example, has a black metal feeling on it. And the bonus track is a Jethro Tull cover that sounds like 100xheavier.

Oh, and the vocalist. Don't expect pitched vocals like in Sonata Arctica. The vocals are quite unique, at least for power. Rough, raspy and evil, yet still melodic. And he even knows how to growl too. Then, the keyboards. Instead of the over-soloing and trying to compete with the guitar, here keyboards are better used. They just add another layer on the music. I'd say they add the beauty in a so heavy music. Amazing.

Now, we knew all these from the debut, which is better. First, it's not so worse, even I recommend it first. But this is more different. It's like they try to evade more from typical power and add a special feeling to each song. Yes, they succeed. Why the lower score? Because they aren't so fresh and catchy, like some melodies are forced. No, their songs aren't bad, and there isn't any filler. But it's not the instant classic their debut is (at least for me). The first four tracks are their most catchy, and "Bleeding Strings" is their best ballad, maybe the best track on the album.

So, if you want some good and different power with real power, get this now (after the debut, of course).


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 10

Written by Talvi | 19.11.2006




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 5   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 66 users
19.11.2006 - 15:11
Talvi

"Why the lower score?"

This is because I have a review of their first album with a higher score.
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My account on other musical pages:
http://www.last.fm/user/Pozito/
http://rateyourmusic.com/~Talvi
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12.12.2006 - 22:24
miss_d

to me, "reformation" is different to the debut in its gain of songwriting value.
"spirit of ukko" sounds a bit more straight forward (which is a great plus on songs like "across the snow" where a real pagan/black feeling is hitting you at the exactly right passages. damn that song is a killer tune, so many elements very well woven together! guitars there are a 10/10! ) compared to the second album.
"reformation" is a great refinement to the debut, imho.
i'd even go so far to state a certain proggy feel to it, without becoming soft.

vocals are massive again !!
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04.01.2008 - 19:23
Metalmorphosis

I can't believe that Kiuas hasn't been recognized very much. Fans of power metal and extreme power metal, like I am, should definitely get their hands on Kiuas' albums. It has some of extreme power, power and even some folkish sounds. I just got Reformation and I think it's quite perfect... Strongly reccommending.
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13.06.2009 - 05:22
Rating: 7
Ag Fox
Angel No More
I was a bit dubious after reading your review tbh and took my time before getting round listening to music from this band and now I realise I should have listened to you
They are quite a unique power metal band and I totally agree with you that it has a lot of influences. Solos here and there, heavy and crunchy riffs, rather dark yet melodic vocals, some symphonic keyboard peppered lightly around. I'd say a solid 8 from me.

Thanks for the recommendation.
The reason they are not so well known is probably they still lack the killer album. They probably need more actual hits to propel them higher among the scene.
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loves 小巫
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11.01.2010 - 05:40
Rose Of Nemesis

Written by Guest on 10.01.2010 at 15:05

Written by Metalmorphosis on 04.01.2008 at 19:23

I can't believe that Kiuas hasn't been recognized very much. Fans of power metal and extreme power metal, like I am, should definitely get their hands on Kiuas' albums. It has some of extreme power, power and even some folkish sounds. I just got Reformation and I think it's quite perfect... Strongly reccommending.

indeed!




Yeah the Reformation is good, but I recommend better the Spirit Of Ukko I think it's still their best album
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