| CD REVIEW One Morning Left |
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Band : One Morning Left Woo-a-a-aaaahhhhh...what a frellin' greéééééaaaat band!!! Okay, so I'm not used to opening a review of mine like that? And who sets the rules anyway? So, a clarification of my enthoused outburst is due, and here it is : these Fins combine several styles of Metal and Hardcore with Techno Electronics, and do the same with their vocal stylings. As a result, you get a great mixture of Electronic Hardcore Metal with elements from Screamo (screamed emotional vocals), Death Metal (grunts and growls, Baby!), Emo (the grééatest of clean harmonies), and even Grind (piggy-styled squeals)...which the band itself has deemed to dub “CrabCore” or even “BreePop”. The Electronics part of the hybrid comes in different forms , by the way...in speedy but melodic synth/ keyboard lines on the one hand, and in calmer, more atmospheric (one might say almost with a chill-out effect) bouts on the other hand...and this diversity does a lot in making the album the top product it is! Hey, it's not my usual style to give away what a band sounds like first either, so let's get back to the band history, which starts at the beginning of 2008 with an almost completely line-up tan today. In fact, only lead singer Miksu (he's the one goin' through the aggressive motions vocally, but also occasionally goes clean, to provide the lead clean singer with harmonic backings...changing from one mode to the other without apparent difficulties) remains of the founding members. Tomppa, whom also performs the lead and backing clean vocals, is already the band's second drummer; guitarist Arksa is already the third person in that position...and synth player/ samples handler Vesku and bassist Tumppi are both seconds on their instruments (and somehow I suspect one of the “other guys” to occasionally jump in on some extra screamed vocals). Soon after the band's formation, they recorded/ released the one-track Demo 2008, and followed that up in December of the same year with the 6-track EP Panda (heart) Pengiun. In 2009 they re-issued their 2009 EP under the title Panda (heart) Pengiun Vol. 2, including 3 new tracks. In December 2009 the guys issued their debut video clip for the track “BD_L3ftoverZ! (in a 2009 version). To get hooked on this band, check out the material what's posted at the band's facebook. I know, there's only the one (older) song on the “Info” page, but on the “BandPage” you'll find a link to YouTube and videos to the album's songs “Reetu Inda House”, “!Liaf Cipe” and “Let's Play Tycoon” (plus the aforementioned earlier video clip, and 3 live videos including one for album track “Pardon Me! Where Do I Find 4giveness?”, posted as just “4giveness”). For 30-second samples of all of the album's tracks (except “Reetu Inda House”), check the band's page at Last.fm. There's also a MySpace page, but for server problems at the other end I was unable to log onto that. If the track “Iwrestledwithmyhaironce” is on there, you'll revel not only in the hilarious title (a mock joke towards a certain band?) but also in the way it is linked with the '80s Electro Pop hit which the band “covers” underneath (I mean, we díd use to have some hairdo problems back in those days, you know!). Another track I hope to be on the band's MySpace page, is the wonderful keyboard/ synth/ piano instrumental “Depression After Eating”. Only additional instrument on there, is some drums (might even be electronically generated), but that does not alter the fact that the track is overall much calmer, and in fact the only true “chill-out” passage (mind you, you dó get some shorter calm passages in other songs as well) on the album. Truly a very versatile band with a lot of humour (there's other moments on the album where samples come in quite unexpectedly)...and I definitely ope to hear more of 'em in the future! Meanwhile, all I can do to promote the guys' music, is to add the album to my “Best Albums Of 2011”-list, and give it an absolutely perfect rating! 100/100 Tony. |