Band:
Aaro Seppovaara - Vocals, Guitar
Sami-Pekka Hassinen - Guitar
Antero Aunesluoma - Bass
Kari Korak Reine - Drums
Discography:
Fireroot (2002)
Starbringer (2004)
Planetizer (2005)
Sa7urnus (2008)
Guests:
Info
Recorded and produced at Matrixtor and Moonman Studios by Aaro Seppovaara, Hiili Hiilesmaa and Pekka Laine
Mixed by Aaro Seppovaara
Mastered by Svante Forsbäck
Released 25/5-2011
Reviewed 3/5-2011
Links:
blake.fi
myspace
hype records
Fortunately though for finnish band Blake it is not the look of the thing that is the main focal point of the album, but rather what is on the disk. A disk that is actually the fifth album of the band, I have never heard anything of them before, and it can musically be said to be heavier rock gravitating in the stoner direction. The production is modern and focused on creating a somewhat dirty sound which is a balance I think they succeed rather well with actually. All in all there is however not that much uniqueness in the sound of the band, they sound quite typical for the genre to be honest. We have 42 minutes of music which are sliced into ten tracks so in length it is rather decent.
I think the opening two tracks illustrate rather well what this album has in terms of most. Viper is the starting track and it is quite good and a quite genre typical song and lyrics about the viper lady of something in the area. The second track Fresh in the Grave and even though it is audible that it is a song from the same band, it feels almost impossible to say that they come from the same album. The main problem for this album is that the music is all over the place, a clear direction and goal for the album is missing and the band suffers for that. Not that the songs are bad, they do just not mix together well enough, it is like trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle with equal amount of pieces from something like six or seven different puzzles, it just don’t turn out right. On their own most of the songs are good but as a whole they are not as good.
I think that tracks to lift up a bit equates to the title track which is really good and catchy and then we have Fingers crossed which is the video track and is also a very good song as is the finishing ballad Talk to Lucifer which beautifully rounds of this rather hazy parade.
I think that everything with this album is okay, there is nothing really bad or anything but still, there is a real need for the band to try and find a direction for the next album because the lack of direction is a real killer in any business and it seems more like Blake wanted to record ten songs rather than an album which is something that does not really work in my book. In a way it is a bit like all of these strange compilations with lots of songs of completely different songs, good collection of songs but not an album.
So to pass judgement I can state that Blake with this album make a really good collection of songs, but it is not more than a quite alright album.
HHHHHHH
