NORTHER

With their first two releases, the Finns drew comparisons to their better-known countrymen CHILDREN OF BODOM. But nobody wants to be a clone -- it's always better to be a good band than an excellent copy. And on their third full-length, NORTHER distance themselves musically from the "Children." The sugary sweetness has been shed, keyboards are barely audible, and the overall sound has gotten heavier. The thrash fury hasn't disappeared, however, nor have the signature melodic death metal solos that wander into heavy metal territory. A separate word on the artwork. When I saw the Cyrillic letter in the word DEATH on the cover, and old russian banknotes in the background of the booklet lyrics, I involuntarily assumed this was a specially adapted russian edition. But once I went online, I confirmed that the label changed nothing (as always!). Either one of our guys handled their design, or the grandfathers of Suomi metallers had some old banknotes lying around since the Russo-Finnish War.