I mentioned my frustration at just discovering Kalmankantaja this year despite the fact this Finish depressive black metal band put out 4 records in 2014 with all of them being released from August to November of the same year. Here was a prolific heavy metal act, whose name means “Death Bringer,” that was releasing a billion records without my knowledge. I was furious. Perhaps it is more telling that he band does all their music in their native tongue and has album names which battle with the band name as to be which can more more confusing when spelled out. This was everything I desired in a black metal band.

It is difficult to compare the merits of the band’s first 2015 record with lets say their other records that came out only a few months before. Despite January being a cut off point for end of the year lists, Kalmankantaja seems to be entering into a creative peak with another EP released a few months before this. Whatever seems to have inspired or disturbed this band is only for the better as the renaissance of suffering is only making everything more amazing. Muinainen comes cloked in familar dress with a black and white cover to indicate a bleak outlook on existence.

With the surge in releases sometimes comes with odd structure. Muinainen is two 20 minute tracks which sound similar despite having different components. the album is capped, however, by an 8 minute ambient/string interlude which is more indicative of an EP or split than full length record. I can not speak of what the band is doing in the future but Muinainen feels like the beginning of a project rather than a finished work. Perhaps there will be six more album in the next few months that I will be ecstatic for. Perhaps this will be the only one for many years. Whatever the case, finding Kalmankantaja is like finding something exciting by yourself and not realizing how much joy it brings until actually holding it. The tremors of surprise and elation are felt through the shrill screams of depressive black metal.