DREAMCATCHER

Some time ago I gave a full rating to the preceding album of Finnish SCARLET THREAD. The group has seen yet another change in the line-up; gone is the female vocalist, gone are the appearances of violin and flute. What remains? A good album oriented towards vintage Hard/Heavy Rock and with a new male vocalist - Jukka Nummi - suitable to that style. Maybe the guitarist-composer Jani Timoniemi has always wanted to make this kind of an album, heavier and free of Folk elements. But I feel disappointed, no matter how well the album succeeds in its goals. One thing is certain: Never Since was pure and marvelous Folk Prog, and something one don't too often hear especially from a Finnish band, while Dreamcatcher is an album that myriads of rock bands would be happy to make when the primary idea is not to sound personal and original but to Rock and Roll.

The sound is meaty with two guitars, and keyboards favour good ol' Hammond. There are other keyboard sounds too, all right. The cocky vocals however nail the overall impression firmly into the Heavy department. I'm not denying the progginess of all the five compositions (between 5:30 and 10:05 in length). There's probably enough to consider this a prog album, but sadly the more straightforward Hard Rock aspect dominates in the playing. And at least with a couple of first listenings the tracks feel terribly the same. I'm not naming references since Hard Rock is not my strong area, but if I named, they surely wouldn't be prog bands.

2½ stars, can't give more due to my deep disappointment. Objectively thought, this is a powerful and well crafted album, hence the rounding up to three stars. Beautiful cover art but frankly not very suitable to the music, nor is the title.