Since the new millennium started, Finland became the new mecca for Glam Rock/ Sleaze Rock, now that Sunset Boulevard (in California, USA) times are over. So there are legions of bands following the same style of great bands from the 80s, such as
BON JOVI, MOTLEY CRUE, POISON, CINDERELLA, WARRANT and many other names. One more excellent name from Finnish lands is the quartet
GUNS OF GLORY, who are releasing their second album,
“Strafing Run”. They have the same sense of a raw energy in the vein of
AC/DC that the nasty bands from California had, but keeping the musically accessible elements as well (catchy choruses that you assimilate in the first listen, melodies easy to understand). Although it isn’t something new all, they have personality, and the album is filled with a savage energy.
One of the first things we can feel clearly is that the sound quality of
“Strafing Glory” is really near of the nasty and raw sound from earlier works from
MOTLEY CRUE, RATT and other names, but keeping the whole sonority as clean as they can. So you won’t have a problem understanding what the band is playing. Twelve catchy songs are what they offer to us all, and they are all very good. But the best ones are:
“Running from You” (with that same nasty and savage feeling that
MOTLEY CRUE and
GUNS N’ ROSES, with easy musical arrangements and very good vocals), the accessible and catchy melodic lines from the guitars on
“One You Need”, the charming
“Don't You Know” (it’s an accessible song, almost Pop Rock, but with an aggressive touch due the vocal tunes, and it has a very good work from bass and drums), the almost Heavy Metal song called
“Till We Die”, the catchy arrangements of the guitars and vocals presented on
“Bad Boy Reputation”, and the heavy Bluesy scent that comes from
“Avenger”. The band is really very good, so hope their future can be great!
Originality: 7
Songwriting: 8
Memorability: 9
Production: 8