Nice man, I also have the CD. That album "The Primal Event" was their debut and only one released in 1998. They split up after that and the drummer, and two guitarists went to form a heavy metal band named Frequency.
ALL HAIL KALMAH!! but these bands are great too!
Mourn In Silence - Italian Extreme Melodic Symphonic Metal
Dawn of Tears - Spanish Symphonic Melodic Death Metal
Kaliban - Finnish Melodic Death Metal
Lunarsea - Italian Melodic Death Metal
Mithotyn - Swedish Folk/Viking...
i dont think it was rushed, in fact, kalmah even said that they have been working on this material for a long time now! I am very interested in the album title and cover art!