Kotiteollisuus - 7

My inaugural review is coming straight out of Finland. Kotiteollisuus were one of the very first Finnish bands I discovered, and they are definitely among the best. Their work is easily available for download from various torrent sites, as well as available for purchase from http://www.recordshopx.com/johanna/, whom I can't recommend enough.
I wrote this review a while ago for my own interest, so it may be a little unpolished. It's late, so if I don't like it as well in the morning I may edit/rewrite it.


Kotiteollisuus - 7 (Seitsemän)

[This review would be remiss without a little background information on the band, so I will be including that in the opening paragraph]

Kotiteollisuus are a veteran Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band that hail from Lapeenranta. They have been recording music for more than a decade since their formation in 1991, and 7 is (as the title might suggest) their seventh release. 7 also showcased the continuing development of the band. On early recordings, their sound was reminiscent of a sort of hardcore punk, thischanged with their sophomore album, Aamen, when they adopted a harsh heavy metal sound. This sound stayed largely the same until their fourth album, Tomuhsta ja tuhkasta, which featured some newer, more melodic tracks. This has continued ever since, and 7 is the pinnacle of this development of melody mixed with heaviness.
While Kotiteollisuus’ lighter tendencies likely hit their peak on their previous release, Helvetistä itään, the juxtaposition of heavy riffing and lighter melodic passages found their perfect balance on 7. This is illustrated right throughout the album, but I feel the absolute best example is track 4, Perkeleen työtä. While the opening/closing riffing is among the heaviest the band has done (perhaps only really equaled by the track Kadoneet, from their next album Iankaikkinen) the chorus is a much lighter hard rock sound.
Every track on here is also catchy as hell, and quite frankly this is one of the best headbanging records I own. Particular highlights are Pohjanmaan kautta, Murheen mailla, and the aforementioned Perkeleen työtä. However, the vast majority of this album are all extremely high quality tracks, and the album only really sags a bit for the last two songs on the album. I have heard very few heavy metal albums that have been able to retain this quality right through the album, and in particular that the length of some tracks (no less than five tracks are at or over the 5 minute mark) doesn’t detract from the catchiness or quality. Not to mention, of course, that the band packs real power for a trio.
The only real negative comment I have of this album (aside from wishing there were an extra two or three tracks!) is that I can’t understand the lyrics. I have been told by Finnish speakers that Jouni Hynynen (the singer/guitarist of the band) is a very good lyricist, and from the one song I have read a translation of he does seem to be very good. As a result, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the rest of the album, and assume that the rest of the lyrics are of the same quality.
Overall, 7 is an excellent album. It’s powerful, yet melodic; catchy, yet still done with quality; and most of all it retains a sense of fun right through. 7 is the perfect album to play while going for a long drive or just hanging out with friends, and it’s highly, highly recommended, both on its own and as a starting place for new listeners to Kotiteollisuus.
10/10