Sixth album release from this exciting Swedish hard rock combo.

‘Full Circle’ is already the sixth album release from this exciting Swedish hard rock combo. My first, and so far only previous exposure to their aural delights was their fourth album, the strangely titled ‘Hooray, It’s A Deathtrip’ that I reviewed in Fireworks #16. In the meanwhile, ‘In Triumph’ made its way into retail emporia in 2006, but without the fanfare it possibly deserved – I’ve read a review that describes it as a GREAT record - for it passed completely beneath my radar!

So, what do we have here? Well, for me it is a huge disappointment. A disappointment because in these straightened financial times, I am simply going to have to find a way of affording the purchase of the four albums in their discography that I don’t already possess, because ‘Full Circle’ is quite simply another prime slice of melodic hard rock heaven!

You want good songs? You get great songs: just cop a listen to the first three tracks ‘Sleeping With Your Enemy’, ‘Full Circle’ and ‘Black Star’ and you’ll hear all the evidence you want to rush and get this: vocals with attitude, strong choruses and superb playing with enormous hooks and riffs from Magz Arnar (vox), Christian Carllson (guitar), Rob Triches (bass) and Jolle Atlagic (drums). They take no prisoners, but you didn’t get into rock music to accept half-hearted imitators did you?

Incidentally, only half of the band found on 2003’s ‘HIAD’ remain in the band, vocalist Aznar being the most recent recruit, bassist Triches having arrived in time for 2006’s ‘Full Circle’. Despite these changes, what is to be heard here sounds both cohesive and exciting, the songs sharp and direct.As previously, there is a whole battalion of influences stretching all the way back to the early 70s on the one hand (Zeppelin) via the 80s (G’n’R) and up to date (Soundgarden and QOTSA amongst others) on the other. It’s a wonderful change from pretty AOR (though I lurve that too…!!) and completely re-energises the lugholes!

There’s thirteen songs and nearly an hour of music here, so good VFM can be added to this album’s other virtues. Nearly all the tracks have pummelled their way into my current favourites, but if pressed ‘River Of A Moonchild’, ‘No Easy Way Out’, ‘Waiting For The Sun’ and the aforementioned ‘Sleeping With Your Enemy’ are the current race leaders, but with other tracks coming up on the outside of the course (he says mixing his metaphors abysmally!!)

A really refreshing change from all the Prog I have been listening to recently…

Paul Jerome Smith