It’s always good to welcome new talent onto the scene and we need more of it.
Finland has already delivered some impressive bands over the last few years and Shiraz Lane are the latest to arrive.
The guys compare themselves with US giants Guns N Roses, Skid Row and Aerosmith; as well as local favourites The 69 Eyes, Amorphis, Lordi and Sonic Syndicate. The basic premise is therefore easy to understand.
These youngsters in their twenties embody the kick ass, free rock n roll spirit that drives so many.
Songs like Momma's Boy and House Of Cards certainly have that GNR spirit and swagger to them. I can hear some Faster Pussycat too.
Begging For Mercy heads towards The Darkness thanks to some falsetto vocals and general silliness.
I guess now is as good a time as any to discuss vocalist Hannes Kett. If the band is to reach stardom, they either need to rein this guy in or move on without him. He is the clear weak link on this record.
The really classy ballad Same Ol' Blues is a phenomenal tune, but the vocals are a big distraction. And elsewhere (such as the high energy Mental Slavery), the vocals are so high, my dog runs from the room every time I play it. Not to mention the whiney tone.
The vocals are just too high, too often and mainly squealing. It takes away from some otherwise really strong material, such as the GNR inspired For Crying Out Loud and the 7 minute bluesy ballad Bleeding.
Great potential here. But they’re not Guns N Roses and they’re not The Darkness. And they are not in the league of their heroes just yet. Especially with the vocals, which for me are a massive distraction to the point that I can’t enjoy the album as I might normally.
The band is nearly there with the songs and production, but vocally, there’s a long way to go.
