The Erector

Obscured somewhere deep in the hillsides of Finland's lush landscapes, the inebriated boys of Calmsite were held up in a rickety shack equipped with no more than their instruments, a vast collection of some of the most influential works ever recorded, and an endless supply of moonshine. They sat, they drank, and they waited... for that shot of inspiration to take full control over their mind, body and spirit. This is how truly great and monumental songs are written. Debuting their first full-length offering, The Erector, on the growing Oak Knoll Productions imprint, this grooving death 'n roll quintet is a band on the rise and every metal fan had better take notice.

With a lethal and effective dose of melody and memory, the band has created what has the undoubted possibility of becoming a mainstay blueprint that future acts of the genre will emulate and imitate. Coupling classic hard rock and metal elements and riding the stoner/sludge side of the teeter-totter here and there, Calmsite revisit the past and bring a sort of alcohol fueled southern freshness to the present. The more dominant traces of history that will burst to your immediate attention are Ace Of Spades and Swan Song era Motörhead and Carcass. Most tracks on The Erector showcase a rockin' upbeat structure that occasionally slows into a grooving phrase or even a slight drag, similar to older Soundgarden and just about anything Black Sabbath has ever done. This strategy goes off without a hitch and makes for a memorable listen that will fulfill that death 'n roll void within you.

For a band that may very well be intoxicated twenty-four hours a day, Calmsite possess a certain tightness in their execution that manages to come off as relaxed and loose rather than sounding mechanical. Vocals are of the traditional death metal class; deep grunts that are often times easily decipherable, much like early Sentenced. As far as production is concerned, The Erector boasts a great vintage quality that is heavy in the low end department. All instruments are clear and well balanced in the mix.

Considering this album is nearly flawless, choosing highlights from The Erector is about as easy as not falling flat on your face after downing a fifth of Southern Comfort. A few songs, namely "Asskin", "Mudwhip", and "Skinning Service", all feature melodic riffs akin to Iron Maiden and let's face it, you can never go wrong with that formula. The one track that stands out above all others is the closer "Ashtrayman", not because it is necessarily better or worse than the remaining nine you have to choose from, but because it seems to have the most variety to it. The song starts out with a pleasant acoustic guitar segment before transforming into the balls-out heaviness we have witnessed so far on the disc. In addition to the acoustics, clean vocals that are a dead ringer to Ride The Lightning period Metallica unexpectedly come out of nowhere. Clocking in at 6:20 (the longest track on the disc), this was the perfect way to end such an exceptional album.

With a long running history of self financed demo and EP releases, it is more than apparent that Calmsite is driven to succeed. Like the stench in a wino's wardrobe, this band will be around for a long, long time. Get drunk! Get stoned! Do whatever it is that you do to loosen up, and enjoy!