As they did more than enough throughout their long career of album making, the current trio group of the German SUIDAKRA has once again unleashed another Celtic story for us to digest. With their constant lingering around the Swedish melodic pattern of Death Metal, it wasn't hard for me to like what they did on their tenth official album, "Book Of Dowth", under their new local label, AFM Records.

Before I will come to the musical aspects of the album and my personal thoughts about it, I felt that you guys have to know what the story behind SUIDAKRA's new creation is.  The "Book Of Dowth" overall concept was inspired by ancient dark Celtic tales and mythology that basically were about a dark, demonic race by the name of "Fomor". With the unveiling of the book after the excavation of Dowth, so was the historic legacy of a horde that once took breath.

Coming back to reality, the "Book Of Dowth" was as I expected it to be; melodic, heavy, flowing, produced with a crunchy sound that the band is associated with for years, and lest I forget the wonderful tradition of the folk instruments as acoustic guitars and keyboards that kept the fine SUIDAKRA touch alive. I would have expected a better vocals production as before, yet, it didn't fail the album that much. Furthermore, in a way, it seemed that SUIDAKRA has found a niche that I don't think they will ever abandoned. Of course that assumption, if true, has already brought with it both positive and negative results.

For their benefit, SUIDARKA, as an overly active band, will never let go of what made them tick all these years and that is their flowing material. That is why every story, no matter what it is all about, was smoothly driven. Furthermore, the melodies and the riffs of this band reminded me why I like the first two IN FLAMES albums so much. Even with a modern sound that has been loitering the band's albums for so long, it didn't interfere with their harmonious strokes.

With my admiration to their ever going great qualities, it is hard to miss that SUIDARKA is practically doing the same as any other band that plays early 90s influenced melodic Death Metal. Even with their folk elements, those too have been used by so many bands out there. Don't get me wrong, a golden achievement can be released by these guys and for me they proved it with their previous album "Crogacht" and I am sure it will happen again one day. However, the members should keep in mind that one day some Metalheads would wish to hear something inspiring a new besides a new story.

Highlights: "Balor", "Birog's Oath", "Fury Fomoraigh", "Battle-Cairns" and also you might the check the amazing opener "Over Nine Waves", taking about a march to the face.