Metal Underground.com

The good times-seeking Finns are back with more upbeat folk metal to chug your beer along with, although this time with a longer wait in between releases than has been typical of Korpiklaani. Ditching the band's standard one album per year release schedule, “Noita” gestated for three years following previous full-length “Manala,” and as might be expected, there's a shift in tone accompanying that waiting period.

First up, there's no English at all this time around, so unfortunately there's not a new drinking song you can blast at parties to get people chanting “bring us points of beer” or “Tequila!” The closest thing will be “Jouni Jouni,” which will sound immediately familiar to most despite the Finnish language. After a few moments it hilariously kicks in: Korpiklaani is covering “Mony Mony” (originally by Tommy James & the Shondells but made famous later by Billy Idol in the '80s).

While there are a couple of slower and more melancholy tracks on “Noita,” overall Korpiklaani is much more interested in having fun than in being dark or brooding (think Alestorm rather than Emperor). The only exceptions to that rule come in “Lempo,” which significantly slows down the tempo, as well as that utterly unspellable sixth track that also slows down the beat and has the strings go a mournful direction for a change of pace.

There's a strong accordion and violin presence on this album (check out the upbeat accordion shenanigans on “Sahti”), but this album actually goes a little more full throttle on the guitar front than in recent releases. Although it can change from track to track and is fairly balanced overall, the metal half of the folk metal equation is fully on display.

Korpiklaani probably peaked at the “Karkelo” album, with its near-perfect mix of drunken mischief (has there been a more infectious drinking song than “Vodka?”) and serious folk music. “Noita” is a nice change of pace with its stronger focus on metal, and there are tracks that will probably have you doing a jig in your living room, although most of the songs (with the possible exception of the Billy Idol cover) likely won't stick in your head after the album ends.