Band: Shear
Album title: In Solitude
Label: Unsigned
Distributor: /
Release date: Out Now
Release: EP

Shear is a six piece female fronted metal band that finds it’s root in Finland (Helsinki). The current lineup of Shear was finalized in 2008. The members have, however, played together for a longer period. Guitarists Mikael Grönroos and Lauri Koskenniemi, and keyboardist Lari Sorvo have played together since 2001. Bass player Eerik Purdon joined the group in 2004, and the drummer Juhana Karlsson in 2007. Shear’s lineup was finalized in 2008 when vocalist Alexa Leroux joined the band.
This is the band’s first official release, a four track EP entitled ’In Solitude’. The album (and band of course) is a combination of power metal, melodic metal and symphonic rock. So yes it is very comparable to bands like “Within Temptation”, “Evanescence” or “Epica”.
And for a first (official) release, this record isn’t that bad. Good Techniques, meaningful catch vocals goes hand in hand with good musicianship. The band clearly does know what to do. But being unsigned gives them a disadvantage. Would they be signed and got more money to work on their record it would be even better.

87/100

Jeroen.