Kalmah is a European Melodic Death Metal band from Pudasjärvi, Finland. Their influence stems from other such bands as Children Of Bodom and Norther. Kalmah formed in the autumn of 1999 following the demise of the previous band, Ancestor. The band took their name from the Karelian language and could be translated as "to the grave", "to the end", or "to the death". In just under a year, Kalmah was signed by Spikefarm Records - a division of the Finnish label, Spinefarm.