Categories
Albums Music

Vanity Ink – More senseless random behaviour

{mosimage}Vanity Ink has gained step by step a good name in the Finnish clubs scene with a lot of effort and great skills! 

The Finnish band, formed in 2002, features their second studio album after the release in 2007 of On your skin. One of the most powerful features of the band is the voice and the presence on stage of the charismatic and beautiful female singer, Annabella, who undoubtedly was born to attract the gazes of the audience.  

The band sounds strong, clean, and right. Good doses of rock & roll with no big pretensions rather than entertaining and make you move your feet. Annabella´s vocal skills are good, and the band sounds technically good, I would say that average. 

Maybe that can be also the main problem of the young Finnish, being “average”. It looks like a great band to see live on a small pub or a festival with a glass of beer in your hand, but maybe they lack the charisma and freshness to become bigger and more mainstream. Of course, with only 2 albums, maybe it is a bit too soon to say so, but I have the impression that they won´t pass farther than just being another name in the endless band lists of Finnish summer festivals. Time will tell… 

Rating 3/5.

Categories
Albums Music

The Answer – Everyday demons

{mosimage}The Irish boys feature their second full-length album filled with great songs and 100% classic rock! 

I have the chance to meet the guys from the band a couple of years ago before their concert at Tavastia, in Helsinki. They were friendly, and frozen in the Finnish winter. So I was very excited when their follow-up album reached my hands. What you have here is simply classic rock & roll. If you like bands like AC/DC or Led Zepellin, this is the answer to your prays: catchy tunes, catchy riffs, catchy lyrics… catchy everything. If you like more experimental rock, then maybe you could find The Answer a bit boring for your taste.  

Because I love classic rock, I certainly enjoyed this album, but I understand that many people can consider them just a cheap and young version of AC/DC. Maybe for the future, they should try to find a more risky approach to their music. On the other hand, AC/DC have had the same sound for decades, and everybody still love them… so you never know what the best path to follow is. Meanwhile, listen to tracks like Demon Eyes, Too Far Gone or Cry Out and enjoy a taste or Ireland with a good cold Guinness in your hand! 

Rating 4/5

Categories
Cinema DVD

Eden Lake

{mosimage}A young British couple is going to see how a romantic week end camping at a lake turns into the worst nightmare. 

I was surprised about Eden Lake… in good and bad ways. During the first half an hour of the movie, I thought that it would be the typical horror cliché movie with the monster or the psychopathic killer who lives near the lake hunting the young couple and the children around, killing them one after another. But this plot turned to be quite refreshing, making the enemy visible and tangible in the shape of a gang of chavs with not many scruples and killer instincts. Kelly Reilly makes a great role as Jenny, but overall, my hat off for Jack O´Connell as Brett, you will really hate the kid along the movie! And scratching a bit on the surface, the movie indeed brings a strong message to re-think about what kind of education the young kids are receiving nowadays from the parents. 

The action is thrilling, exciting and the rhythm of the movie makes you be in tension all the time. But it has also bad points; the plot is not much plausible often, and many actions from the character have no real sense. As well, for sensitive people, there are quite many violent and shocking scenes, so this is not a movie you want to show to your young kids for a nice Sunday evening in family. 

With a bit more polished script, it could have turned to be a classic of the horror genre. Still, it is pretty enjoyable and refreshing, so if you like excitement, a bit of horror and blood, and a girl who ends up literally covered in dirt after an extenuating hunting this film is for you! 

 

Rating 3/5

 

{mosimage}The best: The great acting of the young Jack O´Connell 

The worst: Sometimes the script just floods. Is it normal to invade private property or to stand frozen while your boyfriend gets tortured? 

The detail: Kelly Reilly will appear soon in the awaited version of Sherlock Holmes

Categories
Albums Music

My first band – You look so bored

{mosimage}Here is another very interesting young Finnish pop band featuring their debut album 

My First Band is a Finnish band composed by Antti Koivula in the vocals, Heikki Puhakainen in the keyboards, Juho Vehmanen as bass player, Heikki Kytölä on the drums and Mikko Virta as guitarist. With the backing up of a major label as EMI, they firmly step into the pop-rock scene exhaling good quality. Antis’ vocals are really something, catchy, well tuned, and can instantly hook you up.  

The melodies are cleverly composed, intelligent, and easy listening. They have the perfect balance between meaning and light-hearted spirit to reach all kind of audiences, from the lovers of more sad and depressing tunes to the people who just enjoy listening to radio at home while doing other tasks or the ones who can shake their butts at the dance floors of any Finnish pub. We could highlight some excellent tracks in the album like the opening Little White Lies, Broken Day or Why do you treat me so bad

A great debut album that confirms once more that Finland is living a golden era in many different musical genres. And we hope that the trend continues for many years! 

Rating 4/5

Categories
Misc News

Duff McKagan – 3 concerts in Finland

Legendary musician Duff McKagan, ex Guns & Roses and Velvet Revolver, will visit Finland with his new project Loaded next June to play 3 gigs in Helsinki, Tampere and Oulu:

Dates:
3.6. Helsinki, Virgin Oil
4.6. Oulu, Teatria
5.6. Tampere, Sauna Open Air

More info at:

http://duff-loaded.com

Categories
Albums Music

U2 – No Line on the Horizon

{mosimage}The one thing that I find difficult when it comes to reviewing a new album is the fact that there’s usually not enough time to really make any proper judgments. Initial reviews of an album can feel rushed and just skim the surface of what only time spent living with that album can reveal. So here comes U2’s latest release, No Line on The Horizon, an album that almost demands repeated listening to fully appreciate its depth and nuance.

 

No Line on The Horizon is U2’s 12th studio release and catches the band at a bit of a crossroads. Trying to venture forth from the relative safety of their “back-to-basics” approach to song writing of their last two albums, the band is once again in search of a new sound while at the same time trying to retain the core of what makes them quintessentially U2. After scrapping their recording sessions with producer Rick Rubin (whose hands-off style probably didn’t fit well with their new experimental direction), the band enlisted the help of long-time collaborators Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. This new album – a product of the band’s jam sessions in Fez, Morocco with Eno and Lanois (who share co-writing credits) – chronicles their journey. For much of the album, the band has abandoned traditional song structures and have opted instead to create sonic landscapes and textures grounded by Adam Clayton’s tasteful but driving bass lines. The album mixes Rock, electronica, Jimmy Page-esque guitar riffs, and ambient music along with some Arabic influences thrown in for good measure.

 

There are more immediate and accessible songs (including the campy Get On Your Boots and Stand Up Comedy) thrust in the middle of No Line on the Horizon, but they almost serve as a counterpoint to the album’s more experimental side. These less accessible songs however, (which include Fez-Being Born, White as Snow, and Cedars of Lebanon), are really the heart of the album; drawing the listener in further each time they’re heard.

 

No Line on The Horizon is at times somber and contemplative (but never boring) with more than enough compelling moments to make it a journey well worth taking.

 

U2 will hit the road this year in support of the new album, playing 19 stadium dates in Europe (closest Finland show is Gothenburg, Sweden) followed by more dates in North America in the Fall.

   

Rating 4/5

   

Categories
Albums Music

Nightwish – Made in Hong Kong

{mosimage}The band is certainly not lacking of new material in the last years. Here comes a new CD/DVD recorded in Hong Kong (and other places) to check how the Finnish metal legends sound live!

It does not feel like it was so long time ago, but it has been already  3 years since Tarja Turunen left the band and the Swedish Anette Olzen came to cover her position. So after the turning point of Dark Passion Play, this does not seem like a bad moment to feed the fans with a new live album that explicit explains the continuation of the band after the End of an era, the last concert played by Tarja Turunen and the Finnish fellows in Helsinki.

But honestly, I have the impression that this release is not going to convince to most of the fans. Obviously the hardcore followers will be delighted with a new record, but the material seems maybe not too “fulfilling” to convince people about the purchase. All the live tracks are extracted from Dark Passion Play, 10 songs that sound great, well produced, with good quality and with a nice connection between Olzen and the fans worldwide (the tracks are cut not only in Hong Kong but in different parts of the world, as the co-title of the album explains). But the demo version of Cadence of her last breath feels a bit more like a filler than like a real present for fans, and the DVD does not provide with anything so special apart from the typical backstage scenes, etc in a documentary + 3 video clips that last less than an hour.

Nightwish could have offered more than this, and the question that immediately gets raises is why older songs from the band that are commonly played on live gigs like Nemo or Wish I had an Angel are out of this record.  Trying to avoid comparisons between Turunen and Olzen? We cannot forget that the older material is also an important part of the history of Nightwish, but taking this decision of offering only tracks from the latest album just raises more questions and disappointment among the fans. 

Made in Hong Kong (and in various other places) is undoubtedly a good live album, but a band with such an international top position as Nightwish has could and should have done much better than this. It seems that the shadow of Tarja Turunen keeps giving more than one headache to Mr. Marco Hietala.

Rating 3/5.

 

Related articles:

Review of Dark Passion Play: http://www.freemagazine.fi/content/view/409/118/

Interview with Tarja Turunen: http://www.freemagazine.fi/content/view/510/117/

Categories
Albums Music

The Sorrow – Origin of the Storm

{mosimage}From Austria comes this metalcore band with a great follow-up album for the delight of the fans!

The Sorrow is not an unknown band in Finland, They have been playing around in different big summer festivals in the past, and count with a good bunch of followers, although their strongest audiences are still in Germany and Austria. After the great album debut Blessings from a Blackened Sky in 2007, here comes the follow-up work.

What you will find here is quite a “melodic” metalcore. The shouts and heavy riffs are present, but still it is something that most of metal fans can enjoy with no effort. Some highlighted tracks in the album are for my taste Heaven is no place for us or Tempestuous. If you like bands like Killswitch Engage or even In Flames, this can be your cup of tea.

The Sorrow do not really add much new to the genre, neither they are an extra-skilled band. But what they do, they do it well, and their direct style is easy to be enjoyed by metal fans. A decent second studio album for the Austrians! 

Rating 3/5.

Categories
Interviews Music

Reborn from the Ashes – Interview with Janne Kärkkäinen

Musician Janne Kärkkäinen could have not chosen a better name for his new band: Phoenix Effect. A couple of years ago he was in the middle of a bonfire, being “invited” not to continue as guitarist by the other members of Sunrise Avenue, the international successful Finnish rock band. Now in 2009, he has got musically reborn with a new and super strong project that is hitting very high in the Finnish charts surrounded by the good company of the friends of Poets of the Fall, bringing on great lyrics and demolishing songs… and with a new role on stage as vocalist!

Phoenix Effect

Hello Janne and thanks a lot for dedicating your time to answer the questions. So here comes the debut album for this new project. How can you describe Cyanide Skies for the people who would have not yet listened to the album, and in what direction would you like to see Phoenix Effect to progress?

I could say that it is a modern rock album with all the smoothness and edges still in place. We tried to make songs pretty much as they came up, and not to think too much how they would fit the “radio-hit-format”. As a result, I hope the songs would last a bit longer than songs nowadays do.  And that’s the recipe; I want to do the creative process in the future as well.

Would you like to count with “fixed” members for the band for the future, or is more an idea of having your personal project + invited musicians?

Even though PHNX started as a solo project, I’ve always had a vision that one day it will evolve to be a “real” band. Today we are getting really close to the point because we are only missing a drummer now ;) Pyry Nikkilä is playing guitar and Lauri Hämäläinen is on the bass. Do you have any favourite song from the album? I sometimes think that I have but then it changes… The songs vary quite a lot from each other so it pretty much depends on the mood that I’m in. Every song is precious, so I don’t dare to pick just one.

I read that the decision that you would be the singer was taken when most of the material for the album was already composed and you needed someone. Did you have previous experience as vocalist? How do you compare it to the role of guitarist that you had, for example before, in Sunrise Avenue?

Well, yes that’s true. I never really thought that I would be the one to sing the songs, but the guys from Poets talked me into trying and step by step it started to feel more comfortable. So I pretty much have no experience of being the singer so I think there’s still a lot to do in that section. In another words, the role comparing to the SA days is totally different.

Janne Kärkkäinen

The album has had a very good reception in the Finnish charts. Were you expecting this, or did you think that maybe after the departure from Sunrise Avenue, media would not pay so much attention to your following musical steps?

I wondered about that quite a lot when we were recording the songs, but I have had a feeling that, in general, the music is the one that will make the difference in any case. Of course it helps that some people know me from SA, but at the end of the day you always need to start from zero with a new band in any case. And what comes to the chart position, it was a wonderful surprise. I really didn’t know how it would turn out.

“My role compared to the Sunrise Avenue days is totally different”

I know quite a lot of people have found some kind of grunge influence in the album. Actually it also happened to me; it reminded me a bit of for example Pearl Jam in some riffs. Do you agree or disagree with it, or was a kind of sound you were looking for intentionally?

That was something that popped up after the release of Broken Promises. I had never noticed about it before but now when I think about it now, I can agree with you totally. Pearl Jam has always been one of my all time favourites, so I take it as a big complement!

Please tell us a bit more of the collaboration with your friends of Poets of the Fall. It seems that happened quite naturally, isn’t it? Do you think they will be involved in future albums again?

To be honest, the whole process felt really light in a way. We seem to share a lot of opinions so we had no need for arguments or anything. Of course there was a lot work but then again when you are doing something the thing you love, it does not feel like you’re working. And we will continue to co-operation for sure.

Probably some of the readers have read more about it, but maybe some others do not know much of the reasons of your departure from Sunrise Avenue. Can you explain a bit more in detail what happened (if you are not too bored of answering always the same question…)? Do you keep some relation or contact with them or not after these months?

This is still a question that I cannot answer properly. The whole thing happened within a couple of days and I was given an explanation that did not make any sense. At least not to me. We have not spoken since.

What are the plans for 2009? Finnish summer festivals or gigs abroad in perspective?

We are aiming to play as much shows as we can. And naturally we will go anywhere we are invited, even abroad!

Anything you want to add for our readers?

Stay true!

Janne Kärkkäinen

Q&A with Janne Kärkkäinen

Favourite band you have shared stage with?

Pearl Jam

Favourite memory of a concert?

Das fest, Karlsruhe

Hobbies when you do not work as musician?

Playing Ice Hockey

Favourite drink?

Ice cold skinned milk

Do you remember the last CD you bought?

AC/DC – Black Ice

Place you would like to play on live but you have not had yet the chance?

Conan O’Brien -show

What is the craziest thing a fan has done in front of your eyes?

Maybe not something that was done in front of my eyes, but one fan bought me a star from the sky(!). It’s called “Phoenix Effect”.

And the craziest thing you have done backstage?

I’ve watched Scott Weiland play playstation wearing a poncho and a cowboy hat.

Photos by Tiia Öhman

For more information, visit: www.phoenixeffect.fi

Categories
Cinema DVD

Tuulen Laakson Nausicaä

{mosimage}Here comes a special edition in a double DVD pack of the classic animation movie from the Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki.

Hayao Miyazaki is probably the most international Japanese animation director nowadays. He has left in the past years splendid masterpieces like The Princess Mononoke or the recent Ponyo on the Cliff. Before these, in the year 1984, Miyazaki made what is considered by many his masterpiece Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind; the story of a young girl, pacifist inside her heart but warrior due to her destiny, trapped in the middle of a war between two nations while the world around is wandered by monstrous bugs and the air is polluted.

If you are a fan of Dune, you can find some points in common here, the huge bugs, the pacifist and ecological messages…  Maybe sometimes the storytelling is not all the fluent you could expect, but remember that Japanese conception of cinema does not always stick to western standards.

Miyazaki is able to create fantastic worlds with a deep background, so if you did not have time to revisit this work, now you have a great chance. The double DVD offers you also a documentary about the birth of Studio Ghibli and the possibility to watch the movie in two different angles, the normal one and other following the original drawings. If you are a fan of Japanese animation, this is a must have!

Rating 4/5.

 

{mosimage}The best: The message of the movie.

The worst: Some jumps in the storytelling.

The detail: This is the first full length animation movie made by Ghibli Studio.

 

Categories
Cinema DVD

Nim´s Island

{mosimage}Nim Rusoe is a young girl who has an island all for her and a bunch of great animal friends that will help whatever the problem is.

It seems that Abigail Breslin is the new golden girl of Hollywood. Whatever role that requires a girl of around 10 years old, there she is! Our Little Ms Sunshine grows up step by step, but still has time to play with turtles, lizards and climb a volcano in her latest movie. I frankly find her a bit annoying in her performances, like she is always over-acting, but well, she still delivers a good one here, and her acting is credible enough. The other big star of the movie is Jodie Foster as the maniac adventure novel writer, while Gerard Butler in the role of the father and Alex Rover is a bit wasted, could have had a bit more of impact but gets pushed to a second level in most of the movie.

An easy movie to watch for the whole family, although maybe it is more aimed at the little ones of the house. My favourite moments in the movie are watching the hilarious lizard, honestly. Not a masterpiece, but it will entertain you.

Rating 3/5.

 

{mosimage}The best: The animals and the beaty of the island

The worst: Poor sharks continue being portrayed with a nefast fame.

The detail: There were used two different Australian sea lion to portray Silkie.

Categories
Albums Music

Nika – Lauluni Mun

{mosimage}The Helsinki-based and Tampere-born young singer features her debut album

First thought that I had when I took a look at Nika´s CD is that it would be another average female Finnish singer with the catchy and easy listening pop-songs that can reach easily teenage audiences. Well, the album is easy to listen, but it is a nice breeze of fresh musical air to listen to the groovy, blues and hip hop rhythms added here.

Not that we have something totally breaking new, but the work is more than good for being the first full length. The catchy track Sovita mua will make you move your feet while other songs are more introspective, narrating the everyday life from the eyes of a young girl, like Hiipuu or the sweet Heikkona hetkenä.

A notable effort for young Nika, who manages to deliver a pretty enjoyable record.

Rating 3/5.

Categories
Albums Music

Profane Omen – Inherit the void

{mosimage}After a couple of years without having new material, the metal band from Lahti provides us with a little masterpiece of new album

Honestly, I hardly knew Profane Omen before this new album fell into my hands, so I had a totally “blank” mind towards what I could find here. And the result has just blown me off.  Starting with the following guitar solo of Williami Kurki in the intro Seconds and followed up by the hammering drums beats of Base, this is a squared album of good heavy metal. Although the work has a good doses of groove metal, it is certainly not difficult to listen to even for the non-extremist metal fans.  The shouts and the most melodic vocal tones in the lyrics are perfectly measured, and certainly the result is powerful, but not too off the hook.  Even the slower "ballad" In the middle I breath puts the top on this metal musical cake.

All in all a great album and a good surprise (I needed this week just to listen to an album exhaling energy like this during the boring office hours). If Profane Omen would be an American band, they would have already broken through international charts, so I just hope they find the right promotion to make their dreams come true.

Rating 5/5.

Categories
Misc News

Whispering Cosmos at Zodiak

Categories
Albums Music

Masterstroke – As days grow darker

{mosimage}The Tampere based metal band strikes back one year ago after their release of the great Sleep with another superb album.

 

Being the current one only the third album of the band, and after a short time of having released their follow-up full length, I must admit that Masterstroke must be probably the young metal band that has advance and improved more quickly in the super-competitive national metal scene. As days grow darker sounds compact, rounded, well produced, with excellent and sharp riffs and with the lyrics and voice of Niko in perfect shape. The album is overall shiny when the band goes full speed and accelerates the rhythm like in the demolishing Walls of my temple or in the blowing intro riffs of the album for Wait for the fail.

After having opened the gig of Scorpions in Madrid last year and featuring this superb new work, I am sure that we will be hearing many more good things about Masterstroke in the following years.

Rating 4/5. 

Related article (Interview with Jussi, keyboard player of Masterstroke):

http://www.freemagazine.fi/content/view/551/117/