Warmen - Beyond Abilities
Spinefarm Records - 2001
Reviewed by Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Spinefarm Records website.
I hate it when talented players from established bands decide to release a solo album, and then begin a journey up their own arses which lasts as long as the public's interest in their egotistical twiddlings. That's probably not the kind of introduction Janne Warman wanted to see at the beginning of a review for the Children Of Bodom ivory-tinkler's second solo opus, but that's the way I feel.
Anyone who may have picked up the first effort by Warmen will know exactly what to expect here - swathes of metal-lite so drenched in melody and instrumental virtuosity that the music becomes a strangely detached experience. By that I mean that songs such as 'Salieri Strikes Back' and 'Trip To...' lack the emotional power created by a song's atmosphere, but rather inspire a sort of awe response in the listener. Here, you're not thinking 'that's a really powerful song', you're thinking 'that's a really impressive solo'. The listener is reduced to a captive audience for the various member's strutting like peacocks, with instrumental flair for plumage. Not really my cup of tea, then.
To be fair though, Janne Warman is an absolute demon on the keys, and the other band members are equally impressive on their chosen instruments. It's probably for this reason that the instrumental songs on the album go down better than those with vocal contributions. It's just that I suspect that recording this album was more pleasurable for Warmen than listening to it will be for the audience, and that's not the way it should be. Still, maybe they'll stop it now, content with their ego-massaging, and go back to writing music for the fans, rather than to prove something either to themselves or to anyone else.
And one other thing - the cover of Heart's 'Alone' is truly unforgiveable.
5/10
Spinefarm Records - 2001
Reviewed by Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Spinefarm Records website.
I hate it when talented players from established bands decide to release a solo album, and then begin a journey up their own arses which lasts as long as the public's interest in their egotistical twiddlings. That's probably not the kind of introduction Janne Warman wanted to see at the beginning of a review for the Children Of Bodom ivory-tinkler's second solo opus, but that's the way I feel.
Anyone who may have picked up the first effort by Warmen will know exactly what to expect here - swathes of metal-lite so drenched in melody and instrumental virtuosity that the music becomes a strangely detached experience. By that I mean that songs such as 'Salieri Strikes Back' and 'Trip To...' lack the emotional power created by a song's atmosphere, but rather inspire a sort of awe response in the listener. Here, you're not thinking 'that's a really powerful song', you're thinking 'that's a really impressive solo'. The listener is reduced to a captive audience for the various member's strutting like peacocks, with instrumental flair for plumage. Not really my cup of tea, then.
To be fair though, Janne Warman is an absolute demon on the keys, and the other band members are equally impressive on their chosen instruments. It's probably for this reason that the instrumental songs on the album go down better than those with vocal contributions. It's just that I suspect that recording this album was more pleasurable for Warmen than listening to it will be for the audience, and that's not the way it should be. Still, maybe they'll stop it now, content with their ego-massaging, and go back to writing music for the fans, rather than to prove something either to themselves or to anyone else.
And one other thing - the cover of Heart's 'Alone' is truly unforgiveable.
5/10
