ALBUM REVIEW: Global Warning – Turmion Kätilöt

One motive for a band to make a splash in their home country is to develop a sound that differs from the one most known on their shores. Finland seems to waver between the symphonic bombast of NIGHTWISH and the guttural tones of CHILDREN OF BODOM, so for an outfit to plump for a more industrial noise is brave, but has the potential to breath fresh air into a scene. TURMION KÄTILÖT have done just that and, for the majority of the last two decades, they’ve pulled it off, continuing to ply their trade and building up a healthy fanbase. Today sees the release of tenth album Global Warning via Nuclear Blast, the follow up to Universal Satan from two years ago.

There are some big names who fall into the category of ‘industrial metal’ and a number of them have brought out stellar releases in the last couple of years, so TURMION KÄTILÖT have a lot to answer for if they are to remain within touching distance of the major leagues. Global Warning has some solid tunes to back up their ambition – the opening track Naitu is a promising start and there’s also a lush COMBICHRIST feel in Turvasana. As the album progresses, there are also highlights in Sano kun riitää and Jumalauta, both of which start a little slowly but grow in stature as they progress, producing a good stomp and rhythm that would delight goth dancefloors across the world – visualising attendees throwing shapes with attached finger lights and UV-lit clothing is both easy and rather charming.

Global Warning falls short, though, and this is down to areas that might be few in number, but have a deciding effect on the overall impact of the record. The major one is that industrial music usually casts a certain darkness and broodiness that hang over each track, giving the songs a significant bite. All too often the keyboard and synths that provide the foundation to this album are bright, colourful and bouncy, which pushes the music into more power and symphonic metal territory more in line with the likes of AMARANTHE and BEAST IN BLACK; one number, Syntisten laula, even conjures up shades of BABYMETAL. The other one is that, despite the album clocking in at 47 minutes and no track breaching four-and-a-half minutes in length, it feels too long and ponderous; there’s likely no way TURMION KÄTILÖT could have made things any snappier, but it’s certainly a slog to give Global Warning a full spin. By the time Mosquito A La Carte (To Be Continued 5) brings the album home with a strange, funk-laden beat that does little but throw the listener off even further, it’s easy for shoulders to shrug and a decision made that this won’t be played much again in the future.

Every sane person on this planet knows how vital it is to stop global temperatures rising, but TURMION KÄTILÖT haven’t set the world on fire with Global Warning; they’ve barely made it lukewarm. There are moments that stand out, but they’re too few and far between among a number of forgettable tracks, all of which point towards this album going down as a missed opportunity rather than a rousing triumph.

Rating: 5/10

Global Warning is out now via Nuclear Blast Records. 

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