Artist: Kalmankantaja
Country: Finland
Label: Wolfspell Records
Formats: CD
Year: 2026
Recent years have marked a rather diverse soundscape for Kalmankantaja, continuously enriching their atmospheric Black Metal discography with ever-expanding escapades towards Doom Metal territories. But while that always felt as a way for Grim666’s way to keep things fresh, it now seems that blend of melodic Doom Metal and atmospheric Black Metal is here to stay. The band returns, a respectable 6 months after the most recent album, with ‘Godless Existence’, the band’s first full-length of the year.
In essence, the band’s latest album ‘Godless Existence’ picks right up in the footsteps of the previously released full-length ‘Autumnheart’. The atmospheric Black Metal elements are there, but this is another of those Kalmankantaja records where the melodic Gothic Doom Metal sound is pushed more towards the forefront. Perhaps slightly less riffy than the earlier Katatonia records, there certainly are a lot of similar elements as on ‘Icon’ / ‘Draconian Times’ era Paradise Lost as well as the very apparent influence of Sisters of Mercy, one of the main drivers of that sound of Paradise Lost (seemingly directly referenced in closing track ‘Walk Away’, a Kalmankantaja original that shares its name with a Sisters of Mercy track that Paradise Lost covered at a certain point). Strumming, melody-driven guitar progressions, humming keyboards and a duet of clean spoken vocals and distant growls are the main components of this album, just as they were on ‘Autumnheart’.
What remains of the Kalmankantaja formula is mostly the distant keyboards, but even more so, Grim666’s ability to write gripping atmospheric tracks that have clear hooks and entertainment value despite their substantial length. Whether it’s the weeping melodies that lead opener ‘My Sorrow Remains’, the more Rock-oriented rhythms of the title track, or the uptempo Katatonia-riff of ‘This Glorious End’, the uncanny sense of mood that is inherent to the band’s discography is still very much there. At times the past surfaces more obviously, like the piano melodies of ‘Emptiness With You’, but as a whole ‘Godless Existence’ presents Kalmankantaja in its altered jacket, more mournful, less raw and harsh and very melody-centred. But still very much enjoyable.
My judgement of ‘Autumnheart’, and thereby in extension ‘Godless Existence’ still stands. While I thoroughly enjoy the atmospheric Black Metal of Kalmankantaja, this new phase that leans more heavily on melodic Doom Metal suits the bands just as well. Or one might argue it perhaps fits even better now. While the vast body of work the band released always had some new angle to offer, it seemed to have ran its course of creative freedom. This quite radical departure keeps things fresh. Although I do understand that not everyone that was invested in the band’s past may embrace this direction.
