Band: Barren Earth
Title: Curse Of The Red River
Label: Peaceville Records / Snapper Music
Distribution: Suburban
Release date: 29/03/2010
Review: CD

The Finnish band Barren Earth was formed three years ago by, and still consists of, members of other (qualitative) bands, among which Waltari, Empyrean Bane, Amorphis, Moonsorrow, Mannhai, Swallow The Sun and Chaosbreed. The nice Our Twilight record put the band on the Prog-Death map, and Curse Of The Red River will settle the band’s name on top of the scene, I guess.
With this second studio recording, the band brings a melodic and modern form of slightly progressive Death Metal with elements from Doom-Death. There’s enough variation (in tempo and melody); there are even some folksy and neo-Gothic elements. Most tracks are dynamic and energetic, some are more integer, but one thing remains: a skilled technical experience from each individual within the band. The influences are clearly Finnish (listen to those ‘typical’ riffs and rhythms), yet also Opeth, NovemberS Doom, Daylight Dies, On Thorns I Lay and Katatonia are bands that often come to mind.
Both production (Jukka Varmo at Seawolf Studio – think Moonsorrow, Ghost Brigade) and mix (Dan Swanö himself) have been taken care of with precision and technical knowledge. Yes, it makes the sound shine as a newborn star upon an ancient-archaic sky.

75/100

Ivan Tibos.