Comment through Young Side Records: Although this CD is in Finnish, this is definitely HB's BEST album yet! Since it arrived, it hasn't left my CD player! If you enjoy this Band, I highly recommend you get it - you won't be disappointed!" Arlene Marais, Young Side Records
Female fronted symphonic metal band HB's, latest release, Piikki Lihassa continues to invite comparison to Nightwish – old and new – and Within Temptation, although Voice Of Glass and perhaps Lacuna Coil deserve mention as well.
PIIKKI LIHASSA is HB's fourth long play album (third in the Finnish language. This album is something of a follow-up album to their second long play album, ENNE and continues to feature Johanna Aaltonen on vocals and Antti Niskala also is featured on vocals on a few tracks, notably, solo on Sana (which talks about the principle writers of the Holy Bible).
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HB's PIIIKKI LIHASSA: no thorn in my review here| Posted December 25, 2008
In the late summer of 2008, Bullroser Records and HB announced that that a new album was in the works called [i][b]PIIKKI LIHASSA[/b][/i] which translated in english is "Thorn in Flesh".
In fall of 2008, [b]Maanalainen levykauppa - The Underground Record Store[/b] located in Finland released the album cover of the album. Many fans of HB (including me) were shocked with the cover, thinking that HB decided to go "hardcore" with their music (especially seeing vocalist Johanna Aaltonen "screaming" on the cover). The cover should not be judged too quickly. This is not a hardcore album.
[i][b]PIIKKI LIHASSA[/b][/i] has more synthesizers than symphony ,as well as more male vocals being used, in comparison to the previous two albums([i]Frozen Inside[/i] and [i]Enne[/i]), which is NOT a setback though.
[i][b]PIIKKI LIHASSA[/b][/i] (like the previous two albums, has some classical music feel (with a little bit of classic rock feel too. Below are my thoughts of each song (please note, I am reviewing on the merits of style rather than lyrical-I do not know Finnish, although I have used translating sites for help).
[i]Jeremia[/i] (aka-Jeremiah): this song is like a "roller-coster", starts out slow, then fast, then slow then fast. Lyricaly, using scripture in talking about Jeremiah (the liner notes show the scriptural references Jeremiah 1:6-10, Exodus 4:10-12, and Ezekiel 33:8-9). This song is a great one though.
[i]Minä Olen[/i] (aka-I AM): This song is a rocker. This song (just like [i]Jeremia[/i] uses scriptural reference (Ezekiel 10:3-9). The song is a great mix of male and female vocals. This was the first song that was released to the public on HB's Myspace webpage (www.myspace.com/hbmetal). Excellent.
[i]Hanki Elämä 2[/i] (aka-Get a Life 2): This song could be seen as a continuation of [i]Hanki Elämä[/i] from [b]Enne[/b]. I was expecting the same instrumentals from the first song to be used in this one. Nope. New music was used on this one. When I first heard this one, I thought this song could have been done by Petra on their 1990 [b]Beyond Belief[/b] album. Excellent though.
[i]Ilo Herrassa[/i] (aka-Rejoicing Man): This one is my favorite track on this CD. This song perfectly blends both classical music with classic rock hooks. This one is a rocker and this one is something that Stryper could have done. Great one.
[i]Hylkäsitkö Minut[/i] (aka-Did You Desert Me?): This one is a "ballad" and this one uses a piano lead with other symphonic instruments. Very classically influenced. A nice one though.
[i]Sana[/i] (aka-Word): This one is a slow-rocker that progressively gets faster. Annti is the featured solo-ist in this song. This song could be used in Sunday School for a lesson on the principle writers of the Bible as well as geneolgy. Great.
[i]Turvapaikka[/i] (aka-Asylum): This song is a rocker that has a few highlights of make vocals. Good song.
[i]Hän Pitää Kädestäs Kiinni[/i] (aka-He Keeps Hands Shut): another ballad using Piano/symphonic. Kind of a sad feeling though. Good song too.
[i]Piikki Lihassa[/i] (aka-Thorn in Flesh): This song almost reminds me of Petra's [i]Rose Colored Stained Glass Windows[/i] and HB's [i]God Has All Glory[/i]. It sounds like it could be a ballad, then it suddenly becomes a rocker. A great song.
[i]Alttarilaulu[/i] (aka-Altar Call): This songs reminds me of my days in Boy Scouts during the campfire. The end of the campfire, everything becomes very serious. This song is a ballad (and it is an acoustic song-this song could easily been done in the 1970's to 1980's). This song in english means "Altar Call". In all altar calls, a general invitation to receive Christ is done. HB does that on here. A great finisher.
In all, HB does NOT disapoint. Already HB has reveived requests of making an english version of this album (and I welcome it). If you like symphonic music, you will like this too.
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