ROCK BLOG #18

It’s the first of June! It’s summer! And what goes hand in hand with summer - festivals of course! Next week we’ll visit ROCKFEST in Hyvinkää on Friday, when the headliners are MÖTLEY CRUE and DEF LEPPARD. Also in the line-up there’s The 69 Eyes, Crashdiet, Stratovarius and Nestor. Many others too, but we can’t be in many places at the same time. (Photo by Julius Konttinen) 

Now, back to the normal programming - the new music. And old music. 

I’m not a vinyl addict but I do have a mission to collect my favourite albums in that format too. Last week I was able to cross off one from my list - the debut HAREM SCAREM album. It was reissued in the MUSIC ON VINYL series, a limited clear vinyl edition of 666 pieces. Mine is number 51.

Now  scrolling through my playlist of 2023 albums… hey, have I mentioned ”Paragon” by FLOOR JANSEN? It’s definitely worth mentioning, my rating for it is RRRR. If you’re thinking it’s going to be symphonic metal you’re off the mark, it’s melodic pop rock with good hooks and refreshingly airy arrangements. Some of the songs even made me think of musicals, and not in a bad way.

The latest REVOLUTION SAINTS has gotten mixed reviews, but I like it. It gets the RRRR rating, maybe the songs aren’t totally worth of that but the magical voice of DEEN CASTRONOVO elevates them. ”Eagle Flight”, ”Kids Will Be Kids” and Treat main man Anders Wickström’s ”Crime Of The Century” are my favourites. 

Italian hard rockers PERFECT VIEW have released 4 albums so far, and as I recall, I’ve heard the first two but they didn’t really leave an impression. Now with their fourth one ”Bushido”, I think they’ve created their strongest album so far, and this should raise their status to the next level. It’s sophisticated AOR with clever arrangements and excellent production, comparable to Tall Stories, 21 Guns and Winger. Strangely enough, the most immediate songs are on the second half of the album, but it’s quality stuff from start to finish. RRRR. 

Even though I liked the first single from the new IMPERIUM album, it seems I really can’t get into their stuff. ”Never Surrender” album has two fantastic singers (Michael Bormann and Robbie LaBlanc) and the music is just the kind of stuff I have filled my CD shelves with, but something doesn’t click. Nice songs, but maybe a bit too nice and generic. RRR.

That’s it for now, I’ll be back next week with more…