| Musical Style: Industrial Metal | Produced By: Poltinmerkki |
| Record Label: Independent | Country Of Origin: Finland |
| Year Released: 2023 | Artist Website: Poltinmerkki |
| Tracks: 12 | Rating: 75% |
| Running Time: 50:36 |
If you could give a DNA test to both the 2001 Deliverance eighth full-length effort Assimilation and Poltinmerkki 2023 sophomore release Steel Star, you’d find that these two industrial metal and hard rock albums are fraternal twins. Each shares a framework of throbbing hard rock guitars and repeated metal riffing alongside electronic beats, sampling, synthesizers and sequencer lines. Where the two diverge, however, revolves around vocals and heaviness. Deliverance front man Jimmy P. Brown II approaches from a melancholic Bowie influenced standpoint and Poltinmerkki vocalist Janne Virtanen a lower register vantage walking a fine line between the doom like and extreme. The Deliverance industrial metal interpretation by no means fails to hit hard but is more melodic when placed alongside, while Poltinmerkki emphasizes added aggression in the form of weightier guitars and fewer catchy hooks but proves no less listenable all the same.
The Kotka, Finland based Poltinmerkki traces to 2015 and its debut full length Askel eteenpäin, which manifests the groups mission to ‘provide you some visions and thoughts about our creator, almighty heavenly God by means of a hard, raw and stern rock/metal music, with industrial-influences’ (as taken from the groups press material). Steel Star embodies the same lyrically and musically, albeit it was four years in the making with Poltinmerkki releasing several singles and EP’s (of which details are obscure) in between.
Steel Star opens to two of its better songs beginning with “Sound Of Cruel Land”. It begins to a minute long instrumental run home to ominous keyboards as guitars crunch in and out of the mix, slowing building force as guitars move to a place of prominence at start of the opening verse to see Virtanen take an earnest approach with his sandpaper vocal style. Gripping chorus to ensue elevates the pensive scene exponentially. Lyric snippet:
Like a gentle rain, this voice
Can be heard far and wide
Like a furious pain
A harmless noise
Can distort the clearest sight
Raise your scream – praise
Loud and clean
Sound of cruel land
Lofted steam, free your heart
Sound of free man
Albums title track is of equal quality. “Steel Star” crunches from the start, manifesting the mid-tempo as plunging guitars impel in and out of the mix over a backdrop of symphonic keyboards and guttural growls. Despite the near extreme scene, another emboldened melody rises to the surface to speak of the surprisingly accessible. Of equal notes is the melodic soloing holding sway over the mid-point instrumental break. Lyric snippet:
One word, one breath
One aim, your gain
One man, dark span
One taint, I’m faint
One King, one God
One truth, so smooth
One star, steel star
One joy, enjoy
“All Out Freefall” is another favorite with its bottom heavy, cavernous feel. With a near doom-like aura prevailing, it amalgamates spacey keyboards with an impetuous low end as rumbling guitars and freight train momentum prevail. Refrain decelerates to a near standstill as songs title repeats in malicious fashion over muscular bass. Interestingly, some of the riffs bring a near thrash like feel.
“The Paragon” starts to keyboard and guitar interplay ahead of drubbing forward in bent fashion, making a snarling statement as intermittent Gregorian-like synthesizers play a distant role. The semblance borders on the ethereal, keyboards gradually play an increased role in the mix, but also trenchant, one cannot say the gruff and guttural vocals do not fit the caustic tone to prevail. Lyric snippet:
I will serve
It’s called nerve
Take my Word
My supper served
I won’t doubt
To take my route
Catch my Word
Your supper served
Moving forward in the track listing, I take to a two-song spiritual warfare suite made up of Fight Of Faith” and “Clank Of Swords”. Former represents albums shortest at just over three minutes. It jumps between quiet and stilly done moments to feature clean vocals melded with acoustic tincturing and angelic keyboards and those of a catchy but impulse driven nature in which vocals approach the offhand and guitars the grinding. Lyric snippet:
I have belt of truth
I will stand firm
I have shield of faith
Now I will live
I will stand for truth
Though the beast is free
We will stand for truth
Latter is one of albums slowest in approaching doom territory with an incisive mentality to feature plodding guitar and bass interplay. Despite the remorseless vestiges, a pleasing melody rises to the surface found in the catchy in and out of the mix riffs and equally enticing vocal melodies. Eighties style guitars cover the instrumental moments. Lyric snippet:
The queen of words
Knows what hurts
Clank of swords
Waste of words
Deep love, stands for
This word won’t fail
Doomed love greets all
His Word – It’s all
I also embrace final track “Covenant” with its outside the box joining of the substantial and symphonic. Cinematic keyboards to start give way to bludgeoning guitars, with a power metal allure flowing forward found in periodic double kick drum and sublime overtures but also doom-ish intricacies as near spoken word vocals reach down in gravelly fashion.
I am on the fence with albums remaining material. Keep in mind I an not necessarily a connoisseur of the industrial genre, noting how many of the Poltinmerkki noted influences in the form of Rob Zombie, Nine Inch Nails, Circle Of Dust and Klank rarely if ever have been at the top of my play list. For example, there is nothing wrong with “Stupid Lies” in terms of its near speed-based tempo, distorted vocals and bottom heavy keyboards, but an obscure melody makes it a challenge to hold up under repeat play. Likewise with three and half minute companion pieces “S.Y.V.O.L.”, opening to atmospheric keyboards that give way to stomping guitar interplay, and “Elementary Shock”, a driving mauler with a cacophonous low end, are far from bad just not memorable.
I skip over “No More Wisdoms” due to being industrial to fault. It brings a haunting keyboard allure akin to a horror movie with an almost overdone bass presence and ambiguous female narration with a refrain that tries to hard to be melodic. I do like, however, the fluid soloing. In similar fashion, “High Stream” goes over my head with a relaxed and easygoing tempo to fault as swirling synthesizers play too prominent a role for my taste. That said I appreciate the underpinning crunch heavy guitars.
Poltinmerkki sophomore effort Steel Star delivers its share of quality material, with “Sound Of Cruel Land”, “Steel Star”, “Covenant”, “All Out Freefall” and “Paragon” separating as choice tracks. Crisp production is up to standard, as is band performance. Whereas I prefer melodic vocals, Vertanen’s lower register style aligns with the group’s industrial sound. Hence, the potential point of contention in that industrial metal and hard rock rarely if ever has been at the top of my play list. A couple of songs I skip over and several others in the medium to good range (in my opinion) I can see those with more proclivity towards the industrial genre embracing- and up the final score by 10% to 15% accordingly. Overall, if a fan of industrial music in its various forms, you will not be disappointed in Steel Star.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Sound Of Cruel Land” (5:38), “Steel Star” (5:15), “All Out Freefall” (4:08), “Paragon” (4:23), “No More Wisdoms” (3:43), “S.Y.V.O.L.” (3:36), “Elementary Shock” (3:31), “High Stream” (3:54), “Fight Of Faith” (3:13), “Clank Of Swords” (4:37), “Stupid Lies” (4:05), “Covenant” (4:32)
Musicians
Janne Virtanen - Lead Vocals & Guitars
Ville Viuhko - Bass
Ari Viren - Drums
