FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
On November 17, 2006, Suidakra released their eighth full-length studio album Caledonia via Armegeddon Music.
Caledonia was recorded and mixed between July 10, 2006 and July 30, 2006 by Martin Buchwalter at Gernhart Recording Studio in Siegburg, Germany. It was released in the USA on May 22, 2007 through Locomotive Records.
The lyrical themes of Caledonia are the mystical side of the tribe of the Picts, their war against the attacking Roman Empire and the co-incidence of these two completely different worlds. The Scottish themed album included some fairly prominent use of highland bagpipes, contributed by Axel Römer, who also appeared on some of the larger live performances.
Background:
SuidAkrA is known for playing a blend of Melodic Death and Folk Metal featuring their own twist of high-intensity. On their previous release Command to Charge, the band mostly abandoned the folk riffs and the pagan/celtic themes they had been known for, and in turn they received a backlash from die-hard fans. So for Caledonia, the bands eighth outing, the band announced that they would go back to the folklore themes and folk-influenced riffs that their fan base praised them for. And being true to form, Caledonia saw a return to the new-folk stylings that SuidAkrA fans craved… maybe even more so than any other album of their previous releases. Some have even accused the album of lacking aggression, and energy. While I agree that the album isn’t quite as aggressive as their previous efforts, I believe that the energy is still there, just expressed in different areas, like the melodies, and excellent guitar work. Yes, Caledonia is quite laid-back in comparison to their back catalog, but it is intelligently and beautifully crafted, and it has the feel of Celtic Folk all over it. — E.N. Wells
Critical Reception:
In a review for Sputnikmusic, user Rasputin writes;
“The musicianship on the album is very strong; each member provides a unique sound to the overall style. The rhythm section is very well-done, especially the drums, which are both varied and inventive. The bass is not drowned out, and is audible throughout the album. As mentioned before, the album uses a forceful lead guitar more so than standard melodic death riffs. This is not to say there aren’t any in the album, the start of Forth-Clyde is very typical Melodic Death. Nonetheless, the guitars shine on the album. Each melody is very appealing, and all of them have that Celtic touch which makes this album very worthwhile to listen to.
Furthermore, I thought that the production on the album was very nicely done too, with each instrument and the vocals being readily audible in the mix. The one complaint I have is that there are some sections where the guitar could have been made a little louder, as the bass and drums, especially the bass, take the emphasis away from the guitar melodies. Still, that’s a minor fault. Overall the production suited the instruments nicely.
I enjoyed Caledonia very much. It isn’t groundbreaking, but I thought it was excellent. This may be due to a soft spot I have for Celtic music, or because Suidakra are different than a lot of bands I have been listening to lately. However, they deserve all four stars I’ve given. I’d recommend this to anyone who likes The Pogues, The Dropkick Murphys, Celtic music, Amon Amarth, or melodic death in general. Plus, the album artwork is very cool.”
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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