Primal Exhale

Excalion may be the only Finnish power metal band in existence that doesn't immediately cause me to cringe. For a country which seems to specialize in breathtakingly lame music, Excalion's style of power metal is surprisingly burly and even US-inspired at times, with riffs that sometimes sound like the band dove into the Jag Panzer back catalog for inspiration (amidst the more conventional, European style). I'm not exactly a scholar when it comes to power metal, so I can't immediately describe what these guys sound like- it sounds like there's a little bit of influence from the Italian scene, with post-Kamelot bands like The Dogma popping in here and there, but ultimately, all I can say is that this is definitely on the European side of power metal with drips of the US scene providing some well-needed heaviness to the overall equation.

It's the melodic edge in the vocals which reminds me of USPM here- Jarmo Pääkkönen is much more willing to dwell in the low and mid registers of his voice than a lot of his contemporaries, and the more downtuned guitars and punchy bass presence gives this a certain heaviness and aggression which a lot of similar music lacks. Excalion isn't unbelievably riffy- a lot of the guitarwork is just power chords backing more elaborate synth melodies- but they still tend to feel more substantial and driving, not being pushed all the way back in the production and typically sounding like the true building block of the music. While the synths are definitely flashy in the typical style of Euro power metal, they're matched by equally intense solos, which are technical and virtuosic but surprisingly restrained- clearly, emphasis is put on quality melodies in the solos rather than merely impressing the audience, which is something I appreciate a lot. Hell, I even like the dueling synth and guitar solos in 'Obsession to Prosper'- and this comes from a guy who's usually found listening to Lymphatic Phlegm before anything like this.

While I do think that this album suffers a bit for its length- a couple of the middle tracks could be cut without too much trouble- it's still solid and engaging all the way through. I particularly like the production, which, again, doesn't reduce the guitars to a supporting role, and a special bit of attention should be given to the drum production, which has a wonderful aural space for the cymbals in particular. Jarmo Pääkkönen's vocals, while conventional in style, are powerful and driving, never sounding weak or effete like a lot of Italian power metal bands, and always conveying the sort of energy and passion that I look for in this style. All in all, Excalion's missteps are few, and I'm happy to have them in my collection.

Excalion's music is most certainly conventional, adhering to the tried and true canon of European power metal, but I'd say they execute this conventional style better than most others out there. This might not be an essential release for someone who's not particularly interested in power metal and only wants the biggest, most important albums, but anyone who enjoys the genre for what it is would absolutely enjoy this release. It's consistent, fun, and spirited music from a band who clearly loves what they're doing, and I can't think of much more to ask for.