Band : Baton Rouge Morgue
Album title : High End Of the Season
Label : Own release
Distributor : (band)
Release date : Jan. 2010 (regular version = 17/10/2009)
Release : CD + DVD Digipak

Based in the South Finnish town of Porvoo, Baton Rogue Morgue (BTM) was founded as a studio project (current line-up comprising Lee Angel Morgue aka Fraku on vocals, Gasoline on lead guitar, Domino La Rogue on rhythm guitar, Timothy Baton aka Timppa on the bass, and Karda on the drums – only the lead guitarist and drummer not being original members) in 2004, and delivered its now completely sold-out self-released full-length debut album The Funeral in 2005.

Over the year to come, a steady stream of new albums was released: 2006's Drowning In Blood, 2007's Expect No Mercy, 2008's Let The Suckers Bleed, and eventually the album we not get under our attention, 2009's High End Of The Season. Also, smaller and/ or bigger events came along: the band's live debut on December 1st, 2006, the band's second album winning 'em a “Best Band” prize in a Southern Finland band contest, the making of a first video (for the title track of the 2007 album), the release (always self-released) of BRM's first DVD with promo videos and live material around late 2007/ early 2008, the line-up change in 2008 which took place after the release of their 4th album, plus the release of a video for the song “Finger On The Trigger” (off that album) and getting a promotional deal with Lamborghini Energy Drink. After the album's release, video clips were made (to be featured on the digipak version of the album on a bonus DVD) for the latest album's tracks “Hellride” and “Massacre Of St. Valentines Day”. Also, the band headlined Croatia's Staaari Rokeri Biker Festival (in May 2010, and in front of 8,000 people), Italy's Sabina Metal Massacre Festival (June 2010 – having done their first excursion outside Finland for a participation to the 2009 Metal Massacre event in Sabina, Italy) and Australia's Kuranda Bike Expo (October 2010).

Apparently the album got BRM an excellent review from legendary music journalist Malcolm Dome (in the N° 200 issue of the Metal Hammer magazine), and really that's no surprise at all, because the band's Heavy Metal has a nice Southern Rock influence which is quite attractive, with the rhythm guitarist playing catchy riffs and the lead guitarist doin' his thing throughout each and every song. On top, they have a great singer with a very good and steady voice, and the guys know to alternate the pace of their songs somewhat without loosing the overall feel of heaviness. Oh, and don't believe my words at face value, but check the songs (3 off the 2009 album, plus 2 older tracks, the videos of which happen to be added to the digi-pak version bonus DVD of the album) posted at (www.) myspace.com/batonroguemorgue). Regrettably for the band, I spent yesterday listening to the album on a continuous loop while working on other things for the website, and I have to say that after the third listening session a feeling of “heard that before” becrept me. Turns out the pace may be changed here and there, but the band also has a pretty constant recipe for their songs. On top, the riffing is really a bit too simple, and no amount of lead and solo play helps in a feeling of boredom setting in after a while. Oh yeah, the band doés try to do something different as well, but they wait for the album closing track “Viinoja Tuomasta” to slow the pace to a grind, enhancing the Southern feel of the track (the guys definitely show an affinity for things “Southern” - check, the “right” to bear arms...and use 'em – in their videos, by the way). It's also the only song in which the singer gets a bit of vocal backings! Now had this song been placed somewhere in the middle of the track-list, and had some of the other songs had the benefit of some backing vocals as well, my end conclusion definitely would not've been this harch. Oh, by all means enjoy the video of album opening track “Hellride” on the band's MySpace!

83/100

Tony.