(Nuclear Blast) Total Time: 46:98
When I relocated to Norway, the thought of Scandinavia, being today and for more than a decade the most active, original and promising underground (and not only) Metal scene, made me extremely happy and hopeful. I was not disappointed. Especially my new Finnish neighbors have been working hard and have been successful so far, bringing to us legends like StratovARIus, Amorphis, Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Sentenced, to name just a few. This is where Thunderstone’s roots lay also, in the cold Finnish landscape, filled with epic memories and powerful dreams of long lost realms of battlefields and honor. The band’s second album “The burning”, which is expected to be released by NUCLEAR BLAST on 12/01/2004, almost a year and a half after their first self-titled album THUNDESRTONE, is a journey through melodic power metal planes and will undoubtedly offer fans of the genre some very fast riffing and high scaled vocals that they so much know how to appreciate. THUNDERSTONE, joined forces with producer Mikko Karmila – I know you will remember him as soon as I utter the words AMORHIS and CHILDREN OF BODOM –also the man behind their first album , who knows how to blend all different aspects of the band, cover artist Thomas Enhard (HYPOCRICY, SODOM, DEICIDE) and resulted with an excellent overall production, as THE BURNING claims to be. The clear, high and powerful vocals of Pasi Rantanen, accompanied by the strong, speedy riffs of Nino Laurene (he is at his best at solos…) together with the double bass drumming of TITUS HJELM and the melodic outbursts of keyboardist Kari Tornak, backed up by the powerful drums of Mirca Rantanen, were really “music” to my ears. CD opens with a fast paced track, until We Touch The Burning Sun, and goes even further with the second one, Break The Emotions, and as the CD proceeds to Mirror Never Lies it becomes more evident that this was a very carefully put together album, from all aspects. Highest peak was Evil Within, last track of the CD, (but not for our Japanese friends that will be rewarded with a bonus track called In Sanity) which has all the right elements of “true” Power Metal. Rest 6 songs are on the same pace, going from speed to melodic ballads, as anyone would expect from a band of the genre. But as much as I wanted to be overwhelmed, I had the constant feeling that something was missing, or was it that something was there that I have heard before? Throughout the CD I had moments that I kept thinking of Stratovarius and Ronnie James Dio. Was it the un-originality of the songs that not even the excellent skillful musicians could save? Was it that sometimes Pasi Rantanen sounded like Dio and that the drummer Mirca Rantanen seemed to linger into monotony? Whatever the reason, I frequently had to fight the urge to get Against The Wind (STRATOVARIUS) playing in the CD player and I know it was not the lack of the musicians’ skill. Power Metal is not new, especially not in Scandinavia. It has been tried before and has been successfully represented more than once and by bands that have marked their pass through the realm of Valhalla leaving inspiration and awe to their followers. I will intentionally not name any in fear that I might forget one. This should always be a consideration, especially for upcoming bands, not to fall into the trap of being plain copycats and lose in the battle of talent vs originality. THUNDERSTONE, I am sad to say, have been more than influenced by their predecessors so that they have lost in this battle and furthermore the chance to make a difference in the Power Metal scene. Their skill and potential is obvious even to the most un-irrelevant listener. There is no doubt that they can use them together with a bit more creativity and become the difference in this vast forest we call Power Metal. Only if they realize that Music History as all History, is written by people that fear not failure and dream of a different success. I will be waiting for their next album and maybe this time I won’t haste to listen to Against The Wind after their CD is over.
