Here's how I know Finland exists: The Sisu movies, Mads Mikkelson, and NIGHTWISH. Also, some crazy good extreme metal and punk bands whose names I can't pronounce like KOULEMANKELLO and KAUNIS KUOLEMATON. I reviewed a KOULEMANKELLO album in early January 2026. Today I'll be focusing on KAUNIS KUOLEMATON and their November 2025 release, "Kun Valo Minussa Kuoli."

KAUNIS KUOLEMATON, which translates into something like 'beautiful immortal,' has been around since around 2012. Most people who have an opinion on such matters categorize them as Melodic Doom / Death Metal. Pick your poison. "Kun Valo Minussa Kuoli" (trans: when the light in me died) is their fifth full-length album. It comprises nine tracks for a full runtime of over 50 minutes.

All the songs on "Kun Valo Minussa Kuoli" are sung in Finnish, which I love. Bands that sing in their mother tongue just seem more authentic. Also, for my ears Finnish just sounds way bad ass. You get the rolling r's like in Spanish, but you also get the harshness like in Germanic languages. Technically, I guess it's a Uralic language which is also different than Nordic. You know, listening to Metal nowadays takes multiple degrees across multiple disciplines as well as some deep ass knowledge of the occult.

But the album, let's see. A mix of clean and harsh vocals, melodic solos, heavy down-tuned riffs (also melodic), and a full range of tempos. Thematically, well, melancholic dark shit featuring deep introspection mirrored by a dark, cold external landscape. Ultimately, the songs are optimistic, in a stoic and sobering kind of way. Take the song "Rauniot" (trans: ruins) as an example. The final couplet translates to something like: "Pressed down, abandoned, despised / I do not surrender, I free myself." Dark and yet optimistic. Also, 'ruins' themselves are a perfect metaphor for the band's philosophical approach. The remains of structural grandeur, ruins take on a beauty of their own and transcend the destruction that befell them.

Okay, language theory and philosophy aside. How is the actual album? Glad you asked. The album is actually pretty fucking amazing. My favorite tracks include the opening track "Kaiku" (trans: Echo), which shouldn't surprise anyone. I mean, albums are pretty much designed that way--e.g. strong song right up front to set the tone for the rest of the album.

I also really like "Maailman ainut ihminen" (trans: the only person in the world) because of its oscillating style and the piano breaks and choral backgrounds. It feels epic and haunting all at once. Some gorgeous clean vocals as well. I already mentioned "Rainot." This track mixes it up a bit and gets more synth layering than many of the other tracks. "Kuura" (trans: rime) is the obligatory almost 'interlude' track with lots of acoustic and atmospheric going on. Very much captures the essence of its title. I also enjoyed the closing track "Aatos" (trans: thought) which seems like the sister track to "Kuura."

Finland is fast becoming one of my favorite countries for metal. Maybe it's the landscape, maybe it's the culture. Either way, a lot going on there in the extreme metal scene as well as the adjacent punk scene. I have to believe KAUNIS KUOLEMATON is at the forefront, a position they certainly deserve as evidenced by "Kun Valo Minussa Kuoli."