For those unaware, Caledonia is the eighth studio album by the German melodic death metal band SuidAkrA. The lyrical themes of Caledonia are the mystical side of the tribe of the Picts, their war against the attacking Roman Empire and the co-incidence of these two completely different worlds.

Caledonia was recorded and mixed between July 10th, 2006 and July 30th, 2006 by Martin Buchwalter at Gernhart Recording Studio in Siegburg, Germany, was released on November 17th, 2006 by Armageddon Music, released in the USA on May 22nd, 2007 through Locomotive Records, and has now made its way back out again in 2022 via this remastered form.

1. Highland Hills (8:01)
2. A Blackened Shield (5:15)
3. The Ember Deid (Part II) (3:15)
4. Evoke the Demon (5:27)
5. Forth-Clyde (5:31)
6. Ramble (2:57)
7. Dawning Tempest (5:13)
8. The Distant Call (3:34)
9. On Torrid Sand (3:52)
10. The Ixth Legion (5:44)
11. Farewell (1:14)

Known simply as Melodeath, this genre was, admittedly, new to me, but my goodness, the melodic leads that come forth, all intricatley created hybrids, each one showcasing Suidakra as a band that can easily combine melodic death metal along with folk elements, makes this one of the most inventive, and yes melodic albums to, well, perhaps ever come out.

Opening on the melodic rock opus, the eight minute Highland Hills and the free-wheeling A Blackened Shield, next up is the Renaissance-flavored The Ember Deid (Part II), the angered euphoria Evoke the Demon, and then we get the melodious Forth-Clyde and the intricate guitar balladry within Ramble.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites from the album, the foot-pounder Dawning Tempest which is itself followed seamlessly by the almost Prog-driven fluidity of The Distant Call, the frenetically-charged, death metal-AOR of On Torrid Sand, the album rounding out on the fist-clenched, growled vocals of The Ixth Legion, coming to a close on more Renaissance flare within Farewell.

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