Some of the AOR crowd will lose all sense of decorum and dribble uncontrollably over these wonderfully fluffy anthems.
Big, pompy, melodic and definitely a tad Poppy is the order of the day from this Finnish outfit on their eagerly anticipated debut. There's a stream of Finnish Hard Rock acts that aren't afraid to add a Pop veneer to their sound, bands like Brother Firetribe, Reckless Heart and Stala And So. It's with those bands that I'd place One Desire. At its heart, it's Melodic Rock with a sense of what has gone before, but also adding some modern elements to repackage it for the 21st Century.
Jimmy Westerlund, who also plays guitar, produced this release and his knob twiddling is a big factor in giving it a contemporary feel. It has a large, brash production that includes programming and, at times, it sounds (to these ears) like the lead vocals have been auto-tuned as well in places. André Linman was the singer with teen Metal sensations Sturm Und Drang who had a couple of successful records in Finland, but his performance here is even better and more mature than before. There's still a youthful quality to his voice, which gives the Rock a Pop vibe at times. I've swung this way and that with this release; initially I was impressed, then found it a bit Poppy and synthetic for Rock tastes, but I've settled now on liking it for its blend of classic Melodic Rock and modernity.
You'll find ten songs here, like in the old days, so there's no room for fillers. At its best there are the big harmonies, big guitars and pompiness of a song like 'Hurt'. 'Love Injection' has a very Poppy verse but benefits from a huge chorus and blistering guitar at the outro. 'Buried Alive' is the heaviest and fastest track with a tougher vocal and it's one of the stand-outs. Westerlund's guitar gives the music some balls, there are some fine riffs and licks peppered throughout and Ossi Sivula's drumming also packs a punch, especially on the up-tempo 'Straight Through The Heart'. 'Do You Believe' recalls latter day Honeymoon Suite in its verse before going for another sugary chorus.
A contemporary Melodic Rock album, its very modernity is what might make it sound dated in the future but that's speculation on my part. For now, bask in its melodic glow as some of the AOR crowd will lose all sense of decorum and dribble uncontrollably over these wonderfully fluffy anthems.
Duncan Jamieson
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