Album Review: Karmian – Surgere et Cadere (Self Released)

Karmian was born in 2005 under the name of “When the Storm Broke”. The first songs were written, but many line-up changes meant the band split up in 2009, after one demo. In 2011 the project was restarted under the Karmian moniker and the sound became pure Swedish death metal.

Karmian are now ready to release their first full-length entitled ‘Surgere et Cadere’. Available worldwide the 10th of September 2018.

The album is a concept on the history of the Boii, a proud Celtic tribe who invaded northern Italy in 390BC conquering Bologna (They Burn). Then, they spread across the Po Valley (350 BC – Conquering the Plain) starting to face a menace from the south: the rise of the Roman Republic destined to build an Empire (Shadow of the Eagles – Battle of the Sentinum, 295 BC).

They lived bravely focusing on warfare and comradeship (The Gaul), but a war with Rome was only a matter of time. A huge Celtic alliance was made to face the Romans, but they were massacred and conquered after an initial win (The Alliance – Battles of Fiesole and Telamone, 225 BC). The pride of the gauls couldn’t be kept down, so they started a huge rebellion when Rome was distracted by Carthago on the second Punic war along with all the population conquered (Total War – Second Punic war, 218-201 BC).

Rituals were performed by druids to foresee the future (Druids in the Forest), and with the favour of the Gods, the Roman were ambushed in the Selva Litana. A huge victory for the boy who killed two legions and the consul Lucius Postumius Albinus making a cup of his skull (Sacred Selva – Battle of the Selva Litana, 216 BC). Unfortunately, revenge was inevitable. After the end of the Punic War, Rome turned all of its power against the Boii, making a genocide of free men on Modena.

A culture destroyed along with a dream of freedom, the end of the Boii (Mutina Capta Est – Destruction of Modena, 193 BC).

This story is told in the lyrics. Even though they are dramatized, they are based on true accounts of Romans historian.

What an amazing concept for an album. One that fits nicely alongside the enormous heaviness of Karmian’s Swedo—death metal offering. With that in mind, long time listeners of this type of metal will feel very at home. Familiar but not lacking in excitement.

They Burn, Conquering the Plain and Shadowing of the Eagles tick all the right boxes with head-banging riffing, crusted vocals, ferocious drumming and some wailing guitar solos. It’s a hell of a strong start for the fledgling band and comparisons to many of the greats in the genre are easy to make.

Karmian give you everything you could want from modern Swedo-death metal and then some. A talented bunch, no two songs sound the same and the intricacies hidden amongst the raging fire is what will keep you coming back time and time again.

Neck muscles will be like mush by time Total War and Druids in the Forest have battered away. An exceptional album.

Karmian – Surgere et Cadere Full Track Listing:

1. They Burn
2. Conquering the Plain
3. Shadow of the Eagles
4. The Gaul
5. The Alliance
6. Total War
7. Druids in the Forest
8. Sacred Selva
9. Mutina Capta Est

You can buy the album over on Bandcamp in a number of formats and it will be available via all major streaming services. Find out more by heading over to Karmian’s website, Facebook Page, Twitter and YouTube.