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Kälter > Spiritual Angel > Reviews
Kälter - Spiritual Angel

Spiritual Angel : A success. - 90%

Anorian, January 23rd, 2010

It would be wrong to say that there are less good metal bands in the world nowadays. There are so many emerging groups who are attempting to be recognized by the international metal scene, despite the fact that they may not be ready yet. However, this can not be said about Kälter. With their first full-length album entitled Spiritual Angel, Kälter will certainly show everyone that THEY are ready.

The album starts with the nearly ten minutes long Darker by the Day, a huge, fast and technical track, while having one of the most beautiful acoustic breaks of the album followed by an almost two minutes long solo part. The tone is set, and you understand that despite their young ages, Kälter’s musicians are far from beginners. It would be hard not to mention the guest appearance of Leilindel, the beautiful front woman from progressive metal band Unexpect, in the song Time out of Mind, whose voice emphasizes Kälter’s music really well. The slow, orchestral, epic track Ashes and the neoclassical, traditional melo-death song From now to Eternity are also worth mentioning.

Although the heart of their sound is more than familiar, and a quick reviewer may (falsely) put them in the same category as Children of Bodom and Kalmah, a closer listening reveals a much more exotic approach that sets them apart. Indeed, the conceptual album speaks of a warrior who is being haunted by his spiritual angel, searching for answers along an epic journey through… the jungle! Kälter has, for this album at least, left the overly abused lyrical theme of coldness aside to replace it by a much more original one, you must admit. You can find here and there, during the firsts songs, a few instrumental, folkish and tribal breaks somewhat never heard before in a melodic death metal band. Nevertheless, that jungle feel seems to quickly fade away during the album, and could easily have been more used for the last minutes of the record.

With its long lasting songs (never less than five minutes), except for the little violin interlude Requiem (who could have had a more original title by the way), technical riffs, breathtaking solos, fast and varied drumming, powerful vocals and epic keyboards, all assembled in a top-notch production signed Jef Fortin, Spiritual Angel won’t be missed by the greats of the metal industry, I tell you.