Northern Rockmusic

Silenzio (FIN) - EP „Citizen Scar“
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Release Date: tba
Lable: Bullshit Productions

Silenzio is a four-piece rock/metal band from Helsinki, Finland, that was formed in 2005. The Ep is not published yet , waiting for a deal! The band published two Demos and a Promo Live- DVD before.

The Band:
JJ Ilvonen                                     -vocals (+composing, lyrics)
Heka Kainulainen                       -guitar (+composing)
Pexi Puhakka                               -bass
Andy Kuussalo                             -drums

Woundplay: Interesting, experimental-like start, which makes you curious to the following Record. Fast, hart, rock. Elements from gothic and death metal. Exciting combination of gripping accords and melody. Very good “dialogue” between haunting vocals and the guitar part, which are positively contrasting.
Airbone: More direct entrance into the song as concerning the other three songs.For a change there is a vocal intro in stead of a guitar one. A song full of energy, which definitely spreads over to the crowd during live- gigs.
Taurus Emblem:Not only because of the hart guitar intro to be seen as a hart rock or metal song. Very appealing guitar solo at the end of the song.
Tidal Waves: The calmer sound in the song’s beginning is nearly similar to a mystic rock ballad to drift suddenly into a hart death metal like song. Very interesting change between calm melody and aggressive-rock, which continues through the whole song. And of course a lot of interesting guitar parts.

All in all a brillant and well composed record done by a band which you should bear in your mind.

The Rasmus (FIN) – Black Roses
♥ ♥ ♥

Audio CD: 2008
Label: Vertigo Be (Universal)

Tracklist:

1.Living In A World Without You
2. Ten Black Roses
3. Ghost Of Love
4. Justify
5. Your Forgiveness
6. Run To You
7. You Got It Wrong
8. Lost And Lonely
9. The Fight
10. Dangerous Kind
11. Live Forever

Out of the shadows into the crowded clubs in Germany. The Rasmus are back, with some new material. Last autumn they released their eight studioalbum and we took a look on the new songs.

Lauri Ylönen, singer and songwriter of the band obviously holds on to his dark poems about love and pain. The opener „Living in a world without you“ gives us a good look into his heart. Singing about a lost love, Ylönen knows how to touch the listener.
„Ten Black Roses“, one of the uptempo numbers in good old finnisch manner, is a wonderful song about love and the fact that everything is possible when you're with somebody you love, though it might seem hopeless.
In genereal Black Roses sounds like Lauris Diary and one after another song makes the listener understand the singers sight of the world. Justify and Run To You, which beginning reminds of „30 Seconds To Mars' „Hunter“, are one of the slower numbers on the new album. They sound heavy and paint love in black.
Although this is already their eight album the band still knows, how to create fresh songs, without souding like the others. Certainly they still keep the old „Rasmus“-Sound but still it's nice to listen to every single song of them. You just don't get bored of their music.

Fact is, that once again The Rasmus did a great job to present their fans good rock music, mixed with emotional lyrics, deeply touching you.

Manzana (FIN)– Babies Of The Revolution
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Audio CD: 2008
Label: Dynamic Arts Record

Tracklist
01. Wash My Sins Away
02. Panda Girl
03. Sweet Revenge
04. Near Death Experience
05. End Of The World
06. Fake
07. Nothing As Whole As A Broken Heart
08. World Is A Vampire
09. Cherry Pit

“Manzana” is a pop-metal band from Tampere, Finland. They play together since many years but they started the project called “Manzana” as a four-member-band in 2003. They worked on getting signed but it took until 2008, after releasing their debut album “Nothing As Whole As A Broken Heart” in 2007. Last year, their second album “Babies Of The Revolution” came out and was, as their first album, widely reviewed in Finland.

When I first read the expression „pop-metal“ I had no real idea what to expect. But at first listening, I was positively astonished. The album starts with the strong opener “Wash My Sins Away”, pushing hard with fast guitar-riffs and catchy vocals. From that point I had a vague idea, what pop-metal was like, because the next song “Panda Girl” is much smoother and if there wouldn’t be the distorted guitars in the background, it could be a “Disney Soundtrack”. So, it’s quite interesting to see how “Manzana” are creating this unusual sound.
The next tracks alternate between hard hymns (“Sweet Revenge”, “World Is A Vampire”, “Cherry Pit”), aggressive rock songs (“End Of The World”) and overwhelming electronic-element-ballads (“Near Death Experience”, “Fake”).
Although some songs are smoother than others, “Babies Of The Revolution” never loses it’s strain. Of course not every song is as strong as the other, while “End Of The World” is definitely the best and most pushing song, “Sweet Revenge” seems like a failed try of creating an interesting sound. A high compliment should be paid to singer Piritta Lumous. In some songs I wasn’t sure if I am listening to a guy now or if it’s still her and in other songs she uses her voice just as female as possible.
All in all it’s a very good album and live’s up to the expression “pop-metal”. If you are interested in the band, check out their homepage www.manzana.fi or visit their upcoming Germany / Finland – Tour in April.

Sound advice: Wash My Sins Away, End Of The World, Cherry Pit

For Selena And Sin (FIN) – Overdosed on You
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Audio CD: 2007
Label: Mascot Records

Tracklist:

01. Who’s Behind The Door?
02. Lost Like Dreamers Are
03. A Rain Tonight
04. Heal
05. Ghost In The Family
06. Jubileum Of My Sorrow
07. Satellites
08. Million Miles High
09. Draining
10. Happy New Year

The story of “For Selena And Sin” starts in 2004. After their demo “Draining” and a change of their former vocalist, the band released their debut album “Overdosed On You”. Their style can be described as melodic gothic-metal with a fondness for complex emotions. You’ll find joy and happiness but also sadness and despair while the catchy guitars chime together with a wide synthesizer-background.
From the beginning on, “Overdosed On You” convinces with harmonic vocals, also in the straight mid-tempo songs like the opener “Who’s Behind The Door?” or “A Rain Tonight”. A very surprising song is “Jubileum Of My Sorrow”. Here, the sound changes from smooth caressing vocals to an overwhelming refrain, who will definitely stuck in your head for some time.
But Annikas voice is also strong in the slow moments. The second song, “Lost Like Dreamers Are” is a dreamy ballad with emotional highs and lows. Interesting is the short Death-Grunt part, that makes the song very surprising. The only flaw is the position in the track list. It’s never a good place for a ballad as second number. It takes all the pressure and energy from the opener and that is a bit sad. “Ghosts In The Family” might make the listener’s flesh creep because of the great choral refrain and the ghostly samples. But also the other ballads (“Heal”, “Satellites”, “Draining”) will give the listener a rollercoaster-drive through different feeling like hard, thoughtfully, dark or just beautifully sad.

The albums end is an (almost) acoustic song “Happy New Year”. This track is definitely one of the albums highlights. It starts creating a dreamy atmosphere from the beginning on and establishes very slow the rest of the song and intensity of the instruments. This one got almost everything: acoustic guitar, a chime of bells, begging chords, mystic drums, keyboard-samples, guitar-solos and the one line “Happy New Year”, sung by Annika as this would be their last words. Just awesome.

The only song that is a tad too poppy is “Million Miles High” who seems to be filler or one of the member’s favourite song, who had to be put on the album.

All in all “Overdosed On You” is not only an album for fans. It’s very emotional, got its highs and lows and whets the listeners appetite. The songs are well arranged, especially for a debut album. So, if you’re a fan of dark romantic music, you should definitely listen to “For Selena And Sin”. For more information check out their page www.forselena.net where you can find their tourdates for Germany and Finland with Manzana, or check out their MySpace www.myspace.com/forselenaandsin.

Sound advice: Who’s Behind The Door?, Jubileum Of My Sorrow, Draining, Happy New Year

Negative (FIN)– In The Eye Of The Hurricane DVD (2008)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Format: PAL
Disks: 2
FSK: Ohne Altersbeschränkung
Studio: Pro Visual / Hype Records
Playtime: 325 Minuten

Punctual at the end of the year, lots of bands release DVDs, this year also Negative was one of these bands. The disc „In The Eye Of The Hurrican“ is a double-DVD and shows their gig in Pakkahuone, Tampere, includes also lots of bonusmaterial.

Negative exists since 1997 and since 2002 we regularly get new sounds from them. With their newest release „Karma Killer“ the Finns got four longplayers on the markt and better that with this DVD. During the last years, the glam-rockers were gluts with gold and platin and also with their new work they did no mistake.

When you hold the DVD the first time in your hands and you browse through the chubby booklet, you know that it's not only an unkind recorded gig, you know that theres something behind it. This booklet includes lots of pictures and info about the past records, how they worked on it and why they did it. Then, with watching DVD number one, you see a really nice menu, in a circus-style.

The concert starts straightaway, no intro, no entrance of the band and that .unfortunately, takes a lot of atmosphere. They just start rocking. By the way, the gig is the last one on their tour, two years ago. So they guys have typical signs of wear,rocking in front of an enthusiastic ausidence that celebrates their return. The first song „Glory Of Shame“ explodes like a bomb and it's getting very clear that afterwards they didn't do anything with the sound, it's very authentic. The vocals are sometimes very bad (especialy in „Still Alive“), the guitars are partly too loud for the whole sound while the keys get a raw deal. However, it's a lot of fun watching the Finns on that relative big stage, giving everything. They rock until the end. There is also a very good camera work, that acoomodoates almost mechanically to the hard and also soft sounds. It creates a very good blank for the viewer. The quality is absolutely valuable and very pleasant to watch, although they work too much with warm colours. Their outfits are tyically, singer Jonne undresses in the first songs and later he wears his fancy officer-jacket from the „In My Heaven“- Video. Ut you have to see it yourself. The concert is not perfect at all, often tones are in a very bad tune, even with the instruments but that doesn't restrain the fun factor.

SETLIST
01. Glory Of The Shame
02. My My Hey Hey (Out Of The Blues)
03. Last Hero
04. Reflections
05. Sinners' Night / Misty Morning
06. Naive
07. Embracing Past
08. Frozen To Lose It All
09. Lost Soul (Instrumental Version)
10. One Last Shot
11. Planet Of The Sun
12. L.A. Fedding Fire
13. The Moment Of Our Love
14. In Memoriam (Immortal Peace)
15. Still Alive / A Song For The Broken Hearted
16. Until You're Mine
17. In My Heaven

On DVD number two bonusmaterial is batched so that you don't know where to start. Also herethey stick to the circus-motto, and I personally think that's very fancy. At first you can watch some mandatory videoclips, like „The Moment Of Our Love“ in the mental hospital (not the one in the peep-show) ans of course the „In My Heaven“- video. Additionally there are some „Making Ofs“. But they should be more seen as a funny „Behin The Scenes“-section. One of the guys films with a camcorder the happing around the shooting. One really funny highlight you find at the „Frozen To Lose It All“- Making Of where Akki dances without his pants.

MUSIC VIDEOS
01. The Moment Of Our Love
02. Frozen To Lose It All + Making Of
03. In My Heaven + Making Of
04. Planet Of The Sun + Making Of
05. Sinners' Night / Misty Morning

Continuing there is the part NEGATIVE. Here you can examine carefully the bandmembers. Under „Members“ you can click on so-called playercards where you can read a lot of info but not just listed as a profile but formulate in sentences. Then there is an almost twenty minutes interview, it shows blunt and reliable first steps of the band and how they became what they are now. The interview itself is in finnish with english subtitles. One more highlight is the „Around The World“-documentary, it shows they guys in about two hours with they life on tour. Afterwards there are some fan-made-videos from a gig in switzerland, Konzerhaus Schüür in Lucerne, November 16th, 2006.

FAN VIDEOS
01. Intro / Glory Of The Shame
02. Planet Of The Sun
03. The Moment Of Our Love

With this DVD, packed with videoclips, backstage-recodrings, studio-sessions and bandrehearsals, making ofs and a documentary, fan-pictures and videos plus gallery, with interviews and info round the band, the glam-rockers provide a straight package full of Negative and not only for ingrained fans but for normal Glam- and Sleazeaficinados. You get a lot of image and sound and for touching you get a beautiful designes booklet and the layout from the DVD itself. I can only invite you to grab it, this DVD shouldn't miss in any collection!

Valkyrend Varieté (FIN) - Tonttu & Kaihomieli Valpas
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Kaihomieli Valpas

Audio CD: 2005
Lable: Playgroundmusic

Tracklist:

Tracklist:

1. Slowly we Die
2 . Freefall
3. Save me from the outside world
4. Crying in solitude
5. Candle for the doomed
6. Nothing Is Holy
7. The Devil is Down
8. Shallow waters
9. Fly me away
11. God among us

Monsteriser start now with their secons album called "Shortcuts To A Dead End" , well a promising title in every way. o make a long story through this album short: finnish metal is the best! By the way the music is not as dark/ black as the musicians look! It is kinda melodic metal with strong polyphonic choruses. Reminds me of Stratovarius, Charon and other big finnish metalbands. The singers voice is very many-sided, varied and the musicians are professionals on their field!

I was very doubting I have to say, when I got that record from Asgard for a review. Asgard is a russian band and they now have released their debut album "On The Verge".
well the first chords reminded me extremely of Nightwish and oher related symphonic/ melodic metal bands.
This is melodic hardrock meets power metal. They open the album with a fantastic song called Sermon Of Mephistopheles that is strong melodic rocker with pompish keyboards and a good chorus. I just found myself dancing through the room.

The melodies on the album are really great to listen and it is not that big problem that their singer Alexander Savchenkos seems to have problems with the spoken language. The singer is not an outstanding one but it works, the album lives from the great music! It's just the question how he sings live?
The ballad Frozen Void is pure magic with a wonderful melodie and the fantastic chorus as most of the songs have! They should try some songs with female vocals as a contrast!!
The album has been recorded with Micke ”Nord” Andersson (The Rasmus) as producer.

If you like melodic metal you have to listen to Asgard!

Sound advice: Sermon of Mephistopheles, Frozen Void, She- Wolf

Lovex (FIN) - Pretend or Surrender
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Label: GUN (Sony BMG)
Release: May 2nd 2008

Tracklist:

If She's Near
Turn
Take A Shot
Different Light
Writings On The Wall
Time And Time Again
Belonging To No One
My Isolation
Rid Of Me
Ordinary Day
End Of The World
End Of The World (Outro)

Almost exactly one year after the release of their debut album "Divine Insanity" the six Finns from Lovex are back with some fresh material.
The first track on the album "If she's near" lets you imagine that Lovex have gone through an ripening in the manner only a band which knows exactly what they want can do it: harder guitar riffs from Sammy Black and Vivian Sin'Amor, deep lyrics and a catching tunes which makes you wish for more.
"Turn" and "Belonging To No One" some of the faster tracks of the album also convince by sounding more grown up and makes the new Lovex sound more unique.
Sometimes you even get the idea of listening to an alternative band like Linkin Park or System Of A Down, when you notice how singer Theon McInsane worked on his voice, trying to sound more harder, by shouting out the lines of the songs. The band defenately tries to angle off and get a name as an serious band with some orchestra parts and dominating, smashing drum parts by Lovex's youngest member Julian Drain, who gets support from bass player Jason, as we all well know from bands like Evanescence and even Lovex's compatriots from HIM.
Though some might have expected and album pretty much influenced by the 80s after Lovex released their first single "Take A Shot" some time ago, you can't directly find a big common.
In fact keyboarder Christian's parts might remind of the old days of popular bands like Bon Jovi, but Lovex still manage to bring their on style in.
For those who were waiting desperately for some ballades like "Remorse" from the last album Divine Insanity, Lovex also got some nice songs on Pretend Or Surrender: Time And Time Again, a song about a busted love story or End Of The World will make the teen girls melt away and go on dreaming about being the one, Theon is singing for.

So to sum up you can say that, though Lovex grew in their music, they still hold on their old sound.

Sound advice: Belonging to no one, End of the world, Take a shot

Midnattsol (GER / NOR)- Nordlys
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Audio CD: 28.03.2008 (GER)
Lable: napalmrecords

Tracklist:

01. Open your eyes
02. Skogens lengsel
03. Northern light
04. Konkylie
05. Wintertimes
06. Race of time
07. New horizon
08. River of virgin soil
09. En natt i nord
10. Octobre (Limited Edition)

The second album of Midnattsol, Nordlys, sounds much more professional than the first one what makes sense if you knowparts of it were produced in the legendary Finnvox studios. It's not possible to put them into one category. The music still has influences from the nordic folk and it is still metal. But Carmens voice sounds much stronger as before, she learned a lot over the past two years and she is definitley better than her sister Liv Kristine (Leaves Eyes) with her thin voice, and it's nice to hear that this "operatic/ symphonic" metal works also with a lower voice than a sopran. The album lives from the dark, melancholic atmosphere that is perfectly converted on this album with the tragical vocals , the very dense weaved sound with a lot of mystic tunes. There are strong heavy metal parts and faster songs that breaks the melancholie up and make this album interesting in every way and I never had the thought of ever saying that, it sounds sometimes like the old Nightwish with these full sound and the female vocals and it is as good as they were. We are very excited to listen to the new songs live and you should do so if you like bands like Nightwish, Epica, Regicide or Tristania.

Sound advice: Open your Eyes, Northern Light, Konkylie

www.midnattsol.com
www.myspace.com/midnattsolfolk

PICTURES of Midnattsol in the Gallery

www.northern-rockmusic.com

Lines of Leaving (FIN)- Battle for Humanity
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Audio CD: 20.07.2007
Lable: Independent Sounds OY

Tracklist:

1. Extravagance (The Fabulous Life Of)
2. Fistula
3. Conscience Rise (No Kiotos?)
4. Slut #1
5. Hearts In Overdrive
6. Sacrifice For A Greater Cause
7. Christy Brown
8. Tourniquet
9. Of Cause It’s All Your Fault
10. Battle For Humanity
11. Survival Of The Fittest (Album Version)

Lines Of Leaving convince us with a full Power Rock / Metal Sound that's very propulsive and invites to mosh!
The political & social-critical lyrics (that are very impressive by the way- you shoud read through and think about) and the singers voice conveys the impression that there are a bigger punk- influences working within that band. They really have something to say, so listen!!
Even every song owns an catchy chorus what makes this album very strong and useful also for people who are not that much into metal or hardrock, Tourniquet for example shows much comercial potential with a very plausible melodie! !
The complete sound is very clear and straight, no flourishes and no needless instruments are used in this production. Just the naked truth.. an that is what describes the album the best: HONESTY !
So go and get yourself this album, you will love it!! I promise!

Sound advice: Hearts In Overdrive, Sacrifice For A Greater Cause, Tourniquet, Battle For Humanity!

Matthau Mikojan (FIN)- Same
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Audio CD: 12.03.2008 (FI)
Lable: Poko Records

1. From My Mouth To Me And To You
2. Too Fortunate To Cry
3. Welcome & Goodbye
4. Stiletto Heels
5. Ditch
6. No Hard feelings
7. A Girl On Her Own
8. Come Clean
9. April Song
10. Bring You Back
11. Then She Cried

Not only for Bloodpit Fans this piece of art will be one of the best CDs this year.
Giving a deep look into his heart and soul ex-Bloodpit singer Matthau Mikojan is singing about love and live, inspired by his own experiences.
Honest lyrics, mixed with catchy melodies, his music will make you feel like every single is dedicated to nobody but you.
Once more, Mikojan shows his great writing skills and sense for good rock music.
Probably Matthau has never been more honest than on this record. Taking a closer look at Stiletto Heels, or Bring You Back you got the feeling that he wrote this songs for the only one in his life.
The one's who were expecting him to reproach anyone for whatever happened or caused the seperating from his band will be disappointed. In this case Matthau just does what he can do best: singing authentic songs and touching everyone deep within.
April, one of the slow songs on the Album reminds of an old cowboy song, down at the fire place with it's whistled intro. In general songs like No Hard Feelings or A Girl On Her Own, a song about finding his own way, procure the impression, as Matthau finally find HIS own. He grew up in the past months and that album defenately reflects that.
His lyrics became more wise and his music sounds more grown up.
You can hear how content he is with his self and the things he is doing at the moment proverbial.
But not only songs with deep meanings are there to catch the listener. Songs as Print Lies or Too Fortunate To Cry just invite you to let go of everyday life and having a good time with his music.
For all of those who are getting excited now, Matti will be on tour this fall, to prove his life qualities.

1. Hammasratas
2. Susi-ihminen
3. Muistipalapelit
4. Vartijaton
5. Voima vastaan viha
6. Lääke
7. Kädet vasten lasia
8. Luova hulluus
9. Muuri
10. Murtumispiste

01 - Intro (0:33)
02 - There For You (3:25)
03 - Never Let Go (3:07)
04 - Late Night Lady (3:13)
05 - Keep On Dreaming (4:10)
06 - Follow Me (4:03)
07 - Straight For Your Heart (3:24)
08 - Cry (4:20)
09 - Feel It Again (3:24)
10 - Straight Up (4:18)
11 - Bring The Stars (3:32)
12 - You're Lying (3:13)
13 - Feel The Heat (3:52)

01 - Sermon of Memphistipheles (4:32)
02 - Greedy, Thieving Weaklings (4:15)
03 - She-Wolf (7:07)
04 - The Room of Nowhere (5:48)
05 - Frozen Void (3:45)
06 - Headless Horseman (7:34)
07 - On The Verge (7:27)
08 - Wave of Destiny (7:06)
09 - Presto Evolution in G-dur (4:23)
10 - The Eternal Road (5:13)