VON HERTZEN BROTHERS

This album is great from start to finish. "Spanish 411" and "Faded Photographs" are both fantastic songs, but the unequivocally best song on this album is "The Willing Victim". This song is simply stunning in every way. The structure is superb and the vocals are breath- taking!! It takes you and allows you to soar on the crest of the melody. This would have been a 5-star album for sure had the rest of the album been as fantastic. As it is, it is a strong 4-star album. Highly recommended!

I normally stay clear of Crossover, but having a soft spot for Scandinavian artists, I was intrigued. Those tiny nations (by population) have produced a disproportionate number of excellent artists.

Thanks to some Nordic friends who kept me in the picture since the mid-70's, I claim to have a bit of an insight. How many of you have ever heard of NONO SODERBERG (Sweden), a fine Jazz guitarist? I rest my case here.

This write-up is intended to be more of an evaluation of the VON HERTZEN BROTHERS in general, as opposed to a single album.

These cats are extremely talented and capable of creating sensational Prog anthems rarely encountered these days. On the side, they are also able to deliver vocal harmonies that would make GENTLE GIANT turn green with envy. Alas, these moments are few and far between.

The bulk of their material consists of pleasant, but pointless noodlings alongside with nods to U2, even SWEET (!). Not bad, but wouldn't be missed.

The odd track definitely qualifies for a big 5, but the bulk of their material brings the score down to 3. Given the right support, these cats could become one of the Top 20s in Prog of today. As it is, they remain in Crossover territory. A real loss.

So this band I have known about only for a short time. They were on tour with Pain Of Salvation, and I was told that Pain Of Salvations new sound actually has a similar sound and vein to this band. So I thought I would give them a listen, and I was impressed.

So when a new album was coming out, I decided to give the band a chance, mainly cause I've never owned an album from the band. Problem is, because of this album, I might have to buy the rest of there albums now.

This album really surprised me. A very almost experimental album, with a very varied and brilliant mixture of styles. Also, one of the biggest positives that these guys have is that they can always keep the listener interested. Usually bands will have an interesting moment and drag it on for very long periods of time. This band are very gifted songwriters and crafters and are brilliant and writing perfectly succinct songs.

The album also runs very well together. The first 3 songs, which easily could be singles and even top pop singles charts are a brilliant intro, while the rest of the songs deal with longer compositions and more experimental styles of songwriting. A very different album and a big suprise to people who have never heard this band before. I gleefully will listen to their older material and be on the look out to see what they will release next.

I also recommend buying the special edition edition, because the bonus tracks are brilliant songs too. I can see why they weren't on the album, because they have a different 'path' to the rest of the songs.

1. Insomniac - A brilliant way to start of an album. One of the most rockiest and fist in the air songs. Brilliant chorus and amazing vocals from Mikko. 10/10

2. Flowers & Rust - The first song I heard from this album, that made me want to buy it. This song has such a powerful hook that it will be stuck in your head for days. Amazing performances from the whole band. 10/10

3. Coming Home - The band's take on American rock...I think. A pretty fun and catchy song. Pretty cheesy at times, but meh who cares. 9/10

4. Lost In Time - The band's take on Space rock. A very atmospheric and rocking song, with a lot of interesting keyboard and guitar work throughout. 9/10

5. Separate Forevers - Ok, this song is a weird one. Very creepy and atmospheric, and almost frightening in an odd way. A brilliant and odd moment on the album, but one of the best. 10/10

6. One May Never Know - A song that reminds me of John Butler Trio. Nice guitar work throughout. One of my least favourite songs on the album, but it's still pretty impressive. 8/10

7. World Without - Probably the album's most epic songs. It moves and changes so much throughout, from an almost choir like start to an epic singalong ending. A very anthemic and epic song. 10/10

8. Black Heart's Cry - One of my other least favourite songs on the album, one of the reasons being that the song is a bit too much like Jethro Tull song, and I have some mixed feelings with Jethro Tull. 8/10

9. Prospect For Escape -An epic ending to the album. Very atmospheric with a great build up. One of Mikko's best vocal performances too. 10/10

CONCLUSION: Only really knowing one song from this band, I was expecting this album to be an arrangement of poppy prog like songs with great hooks. I was very surprised though. A mixture of styles throughout and a very big stylistic impact, making everything and every moment of these songs making the band and the material throughout very unique.

8.6/10

The album starts with grunge-alternative tune's "Insomniac" there's a little from Porcupine Tree mood, perhaps a little Ritual also. Nothing new, still sounds fresh. The tri decided to continue with a ballad via "Flowers and Rust", here the atmosphere waves up and down among sections plenty emotional. Good tune. "Coming Home" busts into a more commercial side, almost into the nineties, yet functional and funny. This grunge and kind of metal trend follows with the bleaker and spectral "Lost in Time". The moog effects and the ghostly vibes works effectively along the song. An almost Ayreon atmosphere leads the way. It's a wonderful work. That mood follows trough out "Separates Forever" calmer and darker, introduces into a kind of grief, the reverberation tears emotionally patiently shoving the listener with desperate squeal a la Licari. And then the energy burps back within acoustic guitar arpeggios and running horses' piano. The vocal harmonies run as well following the pace at the drums and bass. All follows into a constant rhythm, then explodes frantic again to fade in a clam chord. "World without" is the more progressive song, with an a cappella intro, nearly Dear Hunter, turns quiet and the somber piano bridges for a calm and hopeful tune alluding Queen harmonies and ballads. A little more folky change for "Black's Heart Cry" half Ritual half Jethro Tull, they explores their musical skills for native sounds. The album ends with another spatial and ethereal atmosphere with "Prospect for Escape" once again the indie style and PT influences comes in the stage. Then again, there have find the way to print their own signature among those influences. And the spirit goes flying around the room.

There's a special edition with three bonus tracks: "The Climb" the indie mood fringes with the folk rhythm. Pleasant but not quite interesting. "Do What You Want With Me" is more like a demo try for the grunge-metal tunes in the record. "Between the Lines" the most callable of the bonus, works like an alternate ending. There's still PT influence and spatial mood, but has not the same strength. Yet you can enjoy it as well.

The whole record staggers, lacking of a definitive direction, but all their qualities lies under emotional sheets. They manage to keep the progressive soul and mentality and to became accessible enough for all those newbies out there.

"Bring Out the Sun (So Alive)" begins the album with a slow buildup. A slow repeated melody that's repeated over and over, being added onto by various instruments until vocals enter and the track takes on a spacey, laid back feel aided by psychedelic keyboard parts and great vocal harmonies. At about 5 minutes in the track abruptly changes tone, taking on a much more up-tempo feel and launching into a scorching organ solo that helps introduce a new main melody. Despite the fact that more or less the same melody is used throughout the track it never feels repetitive, which is due largely to the strength of the melodies used and the brilliant pacing. Small changes are made in the music throughout to give the song a sense of drama and it works brilliantly, with the result being that "Bring Out the Sun" comes off sounding like a bona fide prog epic despite its generally homogeneous composition.

"Spanish 411," as its title might suggest, has a bit of a Spanish folk music flair to it, though it's also quite a rocker. The vocal melodies are again spectacular, as are the use of harmonies, and there's some rather understated but still very effective horn playing that eventually increases in its intensity as the track goes on. This all results in a kind of prog-rock mariachi sound that culminates in a great reprise of the vocal melody. A stellar track and some of the catchiest prog music I've ever heard.

"Freedom Fighter" is another highlight of the album. Beginning with a punchy, syncopated guitar part, the track quickly develops into a driving, upbeat little song that's as charming as it is easy to sing along with. Excellent interplay between keyboards, guitars and strings really helps to bring out the melodies as well, ensuring that this song is one that will likely get stuck in your head. How much prog can you say that about? Add to this the fact that every note in the song hits like a train despite its catchiness and you've got all the makings of a pop-prog classic.

"Somewhere In The Middle" takes the tempo down a little bit, trading in driving guitars and cheery horns for a melancholy introductory verse backed by tender piano. Once the song gets to about the three minute mark, however, the grandeur of the previous 3 tracks returns, with vocals soaring towards the heavens and spot-on perfect interaction between guitar, percussion and piano. Again, the vocal harmonies cannot be overlooked, with multiple voices blending together to transform great melodies into holistically great sung parts.

"In The End" opts for a slightly darker sound, with some spookily atmospheric keyboard parts faintly lurking behind a guitar and piano part that wouldn't sound out of place in a neo-noir film. The vocals in this section are suited to the music perfectly, with a proper degree of restraint and mystery; however, the real high point of the song is the chorus. Guitars crash in and the already spot-on singing ascends to new heights, with incredibly passionate and raw delivery. Following this is a bit of an interlude section, with a slower tempo and lower, more restrained vocal harmonies that eventually build back up to reprise the chorus. It's an incredibly effective compositional technique, so much so, in fact, that by the final chorus there's a strong urge to simply stand up and belt along with the singer. The end of the track returns to the slinkier, darker motif for a brief moment before a brief but very good keyboard duet closes out the song and leads into the next.

"Faded Photograph" begins with a brief instrumental section that can only be described as triumphant. While the track overall is essentially a simple verse-chorus number, the fantastic instrumental interplay, wonderful melodies and stellar vocals ensure that the song is the farthest thing from ordinary.

"Silver Lover" begins with a wonderfully carefree strummed guitar part that's quickly elaborated on by percussion, keyboards and even some faint wordless vocals. The song on the whole is far more stripped down than some of the other more symphonic numbers, relying primarily on fairly simple instrumental parts and the charm of the vocals to keep the track going. There is, however, a gorgeously spare instrumental section in the middle that proves the old idiom that "less is more." The end of the track does crank up the orchestration quite a bit, but the pacing of the track is brilliant and the extra arrangement never sounds busy or forced.

"I Came For You" again starts off subdued, with an almost martial percussion beat and a low, almost sinister vocal part. This more restrained approach, however, is juxtaposed against some brief guitar parts that offer sledgehammer chords. The contrast is brilliant and helps to emphasize the heaviness when it is used. Midway through the track switches gears and introduces a repeating motif that is elaborated and built upon for the rest of the song, much in the same way that "Bring Out the Sun" was structured. The effect is much the same, as well, despite this latter section's repetition it's incredibly powerful, with multiple voices and a large variety of instruments having joined by the time the song draws to its close.

"The Willing Victim" begins much the same way the album did, with a softly repeated instrumental motif that is built on until vocals enter. When vocals do enter, they're high and ethereal, effortlessly serving as the center of the track without needing to overpower the instruments behind them. The introduction of strings confers upon the track a sense of cinematic finality, and after a brief instrumental break that features an excellently dramatic synth solo, the vocals re-emerge stronger than ever. There's another brief vocal section, and then the track drops down to nothing, briefly leaving the listener to wonder whether the album has ended on an early anti-climax. Fortunately, this is not the case, as the final three minutes of this album contain some of the finest music I've ever heard. Very faintly, guitar and vocals re-appear before building to a stunning climax that features typically soaring vocals, wailing guitars, and of course all manner of other instruments. It's a breathtaking climax to an album that comes as close to perfection as music is capable of coming.

Thus, if you are looking for a pop-prog fix, look no further. This is one of those albums where every song seems better than the last and where my favorite song is the one that happens to be playing. A stellar example of songcraft and proof that music doesn't need to be mind- bendingly complex to be good. As I said, as far as crossover prog goes, this is the standard for the genre to live up to.

5/5

"Bring Out the Sun (So Alive)" Light, swirling tones wash over the listener in the beginning of the album before beautiful harmonies take over- an excellent build, but unfortunately anticlimactic. Midway through, a quiet synthesizer lead emerges. Intense rock with generally light vocals pummels the listener.

"Spanish 411" As the name implies, this Spanish-flavored song has rapid verses with hushed harmonies underneath. The electric guitar chunks out the strident chords. The music behind the trumpet sounds just like a segment from Yes' "The Remembering (High the Memory)."

"Freedom Fighter" There's far too much going on here, with jarring guitar riffs, an overabundance of drum fills, and shrill vocals. It becomes increasingly painful toward the end.

"Somewhere in the Middle" A gritty guitar performance over soft bass and keyboards kicks off a soft passage on the album. The vocals are initially sung over quiet piano before the rest of the band enters. The melody is excellent and soars, reminiscent in content and tone of The Flower Kings; it is a very nice progressive pop rock tune.

"In the End" This is a decent moderate rocker with good electric guitar riffs and a catchy hook.

"Faded Photographs" I'm rather reminded of It Bites with this one. The vocals are gritty but melodic, and the instrumentation is appropriate, complementing the singing.

"Silver Lover" Moving in a more acoustic direction, this is a happier tune with exotic traces. It feels like "Reason to Be" by Kansas. It picks up and adopts a very different, heavier feel.

"I Came for You" This song possesses a quiet, Porcupine Tree-like middle passage. The repeated line "Are you ready now?" is evocative and perfect for the piece.

"The Willing Victim" The gentlest song on the album was saved for last, it seems. The vocals remain soft and airy, as does the music. The final three minutes bursts into an arena rock "power ballad," complete with the obligatory screaming guitar solo.

"Bring Out The Sun (So Alive)" is the longest track at almost 11 minutes and by far my favourite.The intro is mournful and it goes on and on for almost 4 minutes. It does start to build after 2 minutes and vocals come in just before 4 minutes. A change 5 minutes in as we get silence then synths and strummed guitar. It kicks in at 6 minutes. Hell yeah it does. Some killer organ here and the vocals follow. So emotional. Kicking ass a minute later. Incredible track. "Spanish 411" is guitar and synth led as the organ joins in. Vocals before a minute. Killer stuff. The guitar is lighting it up before 4 minutes. "Freedom Fighter" hits the ground running with lots of piano too. Synths come in just before a minute with vocals. Damn this is so uplifting, then it turns intense once again.

"Somewhere In The Middle" calms down just before a minute with guitar and atmosphere. Reserved vocals and piano before 2 1/2 minutes then it kicks in again. There's a Brian May reference 5 1/2 minutes in. "In The End" is one I enjoy a lot. It kicks in fuller around 2 minutes with a great sounding instrumental section with prominant guitar leading the way. "Faded Photographs" is such a passionate song. "Silver Lover" opens with some cool sounding guitar that reminds me of THE TEA PARTY. Yes there is an Eastern vibe to this one. "I Came For You" has some good contrasts between the laid back and more intense passages. Great section before 3 1/2 minutes with vocals and piano. "The Willing Victim" has a beautiful instrumental intro and we get some violin after 1 1/2 minutes. Reserved vocals follow. It's maybe a little too ballad-like 3 1/2 minutes in when the vocals get more passionate. It's building 6 1/2 minutes in and guitar comes to the fore late. Nice.

So yeah I have to reluctantly give up 4 stars for this one despite my earlier reservations. I'm so glad I checked them out.

These taciturn Finns certainly take no prisoners, playing a highly melodic, fast-paced, bruising style of prog that has all kinds of hues and colors. There is not much like them out there that's for sure. First area of note are the eccentric harmonies as well as some powerful lead vocalisms that saturated the eclectic grooves. Secondly, the hard-prog attitude shown by the hard/fast guitars, slithering organ and synths and bruising drums (Mikko Kaakkurinniemi is a monster!). Tracks such as "Freedom Fighter" and "Spanish 411" are perfect examples of this edgy strain. They can also opt for the grandiloquent and the flamboyant as on the brilliant opener "Bring Out the Sun (So Alive)", the opulent "Somewhere in the Middle" or the epic closer "The Willing Victim". Then you have some ditties that are pop-rock gems that evoke various aromas (I like that Aha analogy by our Easy Livin'!), with the full understanding that North American radio will never pick these up. Songs like "In the End" and "Faded Photographs" have that smudge of weirdness that spooks the saccharine ear-candied horde who like to sing along to their draft beer and embrace their acne-ridden girlfriends (oh, be nice, Thomas!). "Silver Lover" has those Zeppelin tinges straight out of Houses of the Holy (the fleet guitar rhythms par exemple), and it's quite a pleasant ride without being derivative. The final 2 tracks are really splendid, "I Came For You" is by far my fave piece, at times similar to Sylvan in its poignant vocal delivery and rather quirky backdrop. Strong contrasts between the mellow and the harsh, fueled by some stupendous vocals ending in a magnificent heavenly chorale that is sheer aural bliss. As stated earlier, the finale is another treasure; "The Willing Victim" is a symphonic slow builder with delicate acoustic guitar and pastoral setting of impeccable pedigree, as per the fluid synthesizer solo that graces the mid-section, a composition full of unbridled passion and barely containable restraint, settled by a colossal explosive lead vocal hurl. Wow! And when the lead guitar blows through, you just know that feeling is there once again. This is precious stuff!

I probably will require some further spins before I can truly be the good unbiased judge that I am (and modest too!) but it must be said that this is neither symphonic, neo nor space. Rather a rock band that are not being dictated to by some corporate pirate and do their own thing. Bravo to you, heart brothers! I need to get used to the harder tracks and digest them properly before bestowing any higher marks.

4 suomi wrestlers

That's essentially what you get with this, the newest release from Von Hertzen Brothers. I just recently decided to check out this band, after months of deliberation. Boy, do I feel silly for not getting into them sooner. I've thus far listened to their last three releases, from Approach in 2006 up to this, their newest release, in 2011. I've yet to be disappointed.

All of their albums are an absolutely wonderful mix of complex yet approachable songs; songs that could easily be appreciated by both progressive rock aficionados and those into the more accessible side of rock n' roll. You can tell these guys know how to play their instruments, and use them to their fullest extent, without ever delving into excess, as many prog rock bands tend to find themselves lost in. None of the songs on this album feel distended, and are only as long as they need to be... which is another thing this band excels at. This is also an album of catchy melodies, with *gasp* pop sensibilities! I'm sure many progheads would cry foul at the thought of such an idea, but I love it. In fact, I've actually shown this album to many of my non- proggy friends, and I have yet to get a complaint from any of them.

Standout tracks on this album include Miracle, Gloria, Voices in Our Heads, Angel's Eyes, and Bring Out the Snakes. The album as a whole is excellent, however, and there aren't any tracks I found to be particularly weak. It's an album of wildly varying styles and themes, so if you're looking for music with a lot of variety I'd say this is an excellent choice.

For me, Stars Aligned was one of the biggest surprises of the year. Anyone who has listened to their previous record, Love Remains the Same, will know that Von Hertzen Brothers are pure class. But it can also be difficult to follow up a masterpiece with something that doesn't just simply just fall under its shadow. In this respect I expected Stars Aligned would be a good, but non essential three stars, and my initial impressions confirmed that. However, it would seem that the brothers just don't know when to give up and let me write an easy review explaining how inferior Stars Aligned should be.

The Von Hertzen Brothers are all fantastic instrumentalists, but what sets them apart from the now crowded crossover marketplace is their ability to write consistently excellent songs. Anyone can write a catchy riff, or a memorable chorus, and that is what the majority of popular music is about these days. But to be able to make your music both accessible and interesting, that is talent. Every time I listen to this album I notice something new and the individual tracks keep getting better and better.

Whilst none of the songs on Stars Aligned reach the heights of Bring Out the Sun (So Alive), Spanish 411 or Somewhere in the Middle, they certainly come close, and I would actually say that Stars Aligned is a more consistent, well rounded record. This is partially because none of the songs on this albums are complete write-offs, even the lesser ones have some redeeming feature, whereas I never looked forward to hearing I Came for You or In the End from their previous record.

The other great thing about Stars Aligned is its diversity. Sure, Love Remains the Same features more musical references than you could shake a stick at, but Stars Aligned has evolved into something even more eclectic, whilst remaining true to their original sound. They could have easily just rested on their laurels and created a glorified rehash of Love Remains the Same, but the touch of experimentation they bring to Stars Aligned is not only admirable, it also works really well.

I'm not sure if Stars Aligned had any single release, but if it didn't then is should have been the album opener, Miracle. Actually the same could be said for Gloria as both are reasonably short, catchy songs with tight instrumental passages. Then comes, Voices in Our Heads, it is probably my least favourite on the album, but really picks up towards the end for a great finale. Likewise, Angel's Eyes never really had me captivated from the start, but then out of nowhere comes this incredible guitar solo! Alas it is too short, but the strong synth section afterwards more than makes up for this. Down by the Sea brings the album's calmest moment, a really nice change of pace but far from being stripped back, this track is just as engaging as the rest.

And then there is Bring Out the Snakes. When I first heard it, I didn't just dislike it, I hated it! What is all this blabber cemented onto the intro?! A bulbous puss on the face of an otherwise decent album. It annoyed me so much that I failed to take notice of the amazing guitar and keyboard interplay that came after it. With more hooks than a pirate convention, it builds then evolves, then builds some more, never taking a breath and flowing seamlessly into the trademark VHB crescendo. Since then I've actually grown very fond of the one-sided dialogue which opens the piece, and this track is my favourite on the album.

Repeat Mode is a hypnotic, spaced out piece, quite unlike the rest of the album and reminds me at times of the British band Elbow. Always Been Right, is another fast paced track, but the main attraction this time are the clever lyrics which somehow manage to tell an interesting story in just under four minutes. The finale, I Believe is another personal highlight and when I listen I hear a mixture of Rush, Muse and Motorpsycho.

If you are already familiar with Von Hertzen Brothers then you will know that their music has so many layers that simply leaving it on in the background won't do it justice. The more time you spend with this album, the more you will get out. But if you are new to the band then I would still recommend Love Remains the Same as the best starting point.

The Verdict: Four stars aligned.