Finnish progressive psych rockers Kaleidobolt unveil new live session video; fifth full-length album »Karakuchi« out now via Svart Records!

Helsinki, Finland based progressive psych rock trio Kaleidobolt has released new live session video »Rock Alley Live« featuring tracks »Lights On, Nobody Home«, »Astro Boy / Ochanomizu« and »Turn Of Luck«.

All three songs are taken from Kaleidobolt’s fifth full-length album, »Karakuchi«, which just dropped on March 6th, 2026 via Svart Records.

Courtesy of Svart Records:

Take a step behind the iron curtain and enter Kaleidobolt’s hermetic world of unwavering rigour and ego chastisement, where solemnity reigns supreme and discipline is the grease that keeps the gears interlocked, yet spinning. Behold this unadulterated study in self-restrain! The performers have been trained to be void of any and all spontaneous fervour or frivolity: even the slightest demeanour has been maniacally calculated, calibrated and rehearsed to invariably fulfil its maximum potential. Welcome to “Rock Alley live: Kaleidobolt edition”, dude.

Kaleidobolt’s fifth album »Karakuchi« is pungent to the ears – out now via Svart Records!

Tracklist:
01. Tinkerbell
02. Lights On, Nobody Home
03. Coping
04. Astro Boy / Ochanomizu
05. Duuude
06. Friends Of Fire
07. A Chance Of A Lifetime
08. Turn Of Luck

»Karakuchi« is one record you can judge by its cover. The first time Kaleidobolt’s faces have adorned an LP, they have been fused into a torpedoing biomechanical vehicle. Echoing The Birthday Party’s »Junkyard« or Motörhead’s »Orgasmatron« (…on acid?!), the illustration epitomises perfectly Kaleidobolt’s agenda of “hyperkinetic rock”. Their feverish, psych-prog sound is full of motion. It jerks around at different speeds, threatening to spin out of control and crash into flames at any given moment.

What’s more, it isn’t taken too seriously. This is heavy and intricate music, yes. But as bassist and co-singer Marco Menestrina puts it, the Kaleidobolt attitude is “an ugly smirk more than an angry face with a fist.”

On their fifth album since forming in 2014, the Helsinki-based outfit lean into their strengths as a formidable power trio. With their previous two records, 2019’s »Bitter« and 2022’s »This One Simple Trick«, they had thrown everything at their disposal into the recording with no expense spared on overdubs, effects and kitchen sinks. Produced again by Niko Lehdontie (Oranssi Pazuzu), »Karakuchi« comes from tightly rehearsed, live-in-the-studio takes. Kaleidobolt realise that greater sparsity can be a strength, and they’ve allowed their instruments extra space to breathe. It makes for their earthiest, purest and perhaps most authentic record to date.

Karakuchi’s exuberant style emerges from the individual members’ contrasting listening habits. These span classic prog, Japanese city pop, noise rock, post-hardcore and historical podcasts. One record they can all agree is a masterpiece, the centre of the Venn diagram where all three members meet, is King Crimson’s »Red«.

As for their new album’s title, that’s as suitable as the cover art. »Karakuchi« is the slogan of the Japanese beer brand Asahi Super Dry. Translated literally, this means “pungent to the mouth”. As drinkers of that product, Kaleidobolt acknowledge its parallels to their songs. “It’s very intense, right at the front, like at the first bite,” explains Menestrina. “And then it leaves your mouth feeling refreshed. The flavour doesn’t linger in your mouth, basically. It has a quick, hard finish. With a bit of a stretch, we thought that that could also be said of our music.”

»Karakuchi« is Kaleidobolt at their hardest, fastest, tightest and super-driest. Pungent to the ears.

– JR Moores, November 2025

Order »Karakuchi« (LP/CD) HERE.

Kaleidobolt is:
Sampo Kääriäinen – Guitars, Vocals
Marco Menestrina – Bass, Backing Vocals
Mårten Gustafsson – Drums

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well