The Finnish Powerhouse quintet KAUNIS KUOLEMATON, meaning Beautiful Immortal, formed in 2012 is back with their fourth full-length album “Mielenvalta” (meaning Mind Power) released on Noble Demon Records on October 13, 2023, meaning October 13, 2023 (sorry, just messing with ya). Their self-described sound is melodic doom death metal while they seamlessly blend ethereal beauty with unrelenting force grasping themes from melancholy, emotions, misery and poetry, that’s quite a mixed bag. The bands relentless quest to push the limits of their craft, creating a unique and mesmerizing brand of melancholic metal that resonates with fans from all corners of the metal spectrum. Prepare as we brace ourselves for a sonic journey that transports you to a realm where beauty and brutality coexist, where haunting melodies intertwine with savage screams, and where the boundaries of metal are shattered. Boy, the Finnish sure know how to party! Well with all ten songs in Finnish, this will be a challenging review, but tehaan tama yhdessa, that’s Finnish for “let’s do this together.”

A majestic soft opening on “Surussa Uinuva” (Sleeping in Sorrow) with full orchestral backdrop lulls us into an unsuspectingly peaceful place before WHAM, smack you right in the kisser with a brutal assault of Death Metal with thundering drum beat and piercing growls of anguished dark vocals that could awaken the dead. Buckle up dear readers, we’re headed into the bowels of the demons’ workshop. “Elävältä Haudattu” (Buried Alive) and buried alive is what I’m feeling as we continue this mind-altering trip of head splitting, fusillade of doom-laden riffs and even more doomier death vocals, although they trickled in just enough of a small dose of clean vocals for my ears to stop bleeding. Only two songs in and my blood pressures up, my hairs falling out and my dog just ran away, and yet I jatka, that’s Finnish for “continue on”, well if nothing else, at least we’re all learning a new language. The next two songs “Peilikuva” (Reflection) and “Mielenvalta” (Mind Power) can be easily described in three words, (Finnish words in parenthesis): loud (kovempaa), brutal (julma) and harsh (kova) with a battering ram of death metal pounding in my skull. A surprising twist on “Nyt Olet Poissa” (Now You’re Gone) which veers off the doom-laden tempo with a very nice and melodic riff and actually tossing some acoustic guitar licks over clean vocals that come as close to a power ballad as it gets despite ending with the snarling gutter growls. Three of the remaining songs are textbook Death metal “Maan Varjoisan Puolen” (Of the Earth’s Shadow Side) “Aallot” (Waves) and “Pahatar” (Maleficent) with nothing more to say on those as we journey home with “Hukkunut Sydän” (A Drowned Heart) a rare mixture of Death and clean vocals that do blend together nicely over a rabid and pulsating melody that deliver the best song on this savagely driven album.

If you’re a Death/Doom metal fan, I’m guessing you will enjoy this KAUNIS KUOLEMATON album despite all the songs not being understandable, not that it really matters with the usual “cookie monster” vocal delivery. There is a lot to absorb on “Mielenvalta” as it attacks all five senses with an assaulting barrage of devouring (ahmimalla) filthy riffs and excruciating chops, definitely not for the weak of heart. Please excuse me as I need to go searching for my dog.