VIP: "Palaneet Sillat"

VIP: "Palaneet Sillat"
 Rating: RRR
Label: Bullroser Records 2012
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Despite some line-up changes, the sound of VIP hasn't drastically changed since their previous album, "Maasta Olet Tullut" (2009). They play contemporary Christian Metal and sing in Finnish, and have an interesting way of mixing thrash metal influences to a more melodic rock style. The cookie monster vocals that raised their ugly head every now and then on the previous album are pretty much gone, and the band says that their music is a bit more straightforward these days. I guess they know what they're talking about, these songs are easy to digest, yet there are interesting details for those who like to analyze it deeper.
While the songs are good, they're haunted by the sombre, melancholic vibe that's very common in Finnish music, especially metal music. A lot of people find it very appealing and I can relate to it, but somehow it makes this album a bit heavy to listen to from start to finish. Yeah, it's Heavy Metal but still... the only "breather" among the tracks seems to be "Turvaan", a ballad sung by a female guest vocalist, but its' heavy lyrical subject doesn't make it an easy-listening song either. But anyway, when enjoyed in smaller doses this works better, and I would recommend this to the open-minded fans of Finnish Metal - from Sonata to Sentenced.
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