Year : 2011
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , Glam Rock
Country : Finland
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 161 mb
Bio:
Founded in 1997, Stala & So. is known for melodic rock tunes and positive attitude.The band has had the freedom to follow their own direction with their music and live performances while entertaining audiences and gathering lots of fans from all over the world along the way.The 70's and 80's glam rock bands, such as Sweet, T-Rex and Ziggy Stardust -era David Bowie, have had a strong influence on the band's image. Stala & So. is making music professionally and also having fun with it. The late Finnish comedian, Spede Pasanen, said: "The main thing is to have FUN!". This has been, and continues to be, the guideline for the band as well.In the beginning of 2011 the band became familiar to the Finnish tv-viewing people by taking part in the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest. They made their way to the national finals. There is also one ESC 2006 winner in the band's line up.After the Eurovision show it was time for the Finnish release of their self-written, -recorded and -produced debut album "It Is So."On October 24th the Japanese record company, King Records, released the It Is So. -album in Japan and South-East Asia. The German-based music company, Music Buy Mail, released the album in Europe and South America on September.In the fall of 2011 the band recorded five new songs and those were released as an EP, titled "Gimme Five".The band toured in Europe with Vain (US) throughout March 2012. This was Stala & So.'s first international tour and they played in countries like Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and Scandinavia.The songwriting and the pre-production for the new album began immediately after the European tour. The American top-producer, Beau Hill, contacted the band and wanted to do some co-operation. Beau Hill has produced several multi-million selling album in the hard rock history, from the bands like Ratt, Europe, Alice Cooper, Twisted Sister and Warrant. As a result of this fruitful co-operation with Stala & So., Beau Hill mixed the first single, Rock Until I'm Done, from the upcoming album. It was released on November 7th 2012. The second Stala & So. -album, titled "Play Another Round", was released on Feb 22nd 2013 in Finland. On the first week the album debuted 43rd on the Finnish album chart.At the end of February the band signed a deal with the British record company, Escape Music Ltd for a European release of the new album. The release date is April 12th 2013.
Album:
It Is So. is the first studio album of the Finnish hard rock band Stala & so., released on February 16, 2011. The first single from the album is "Everything For Money".It Is So. Simple, direct, to the point, and undeniably true. The first full length studio release from Finland’s Stala & So is all of that and more. This glam influenced hard rocking quintet will be releasing their debut on 9 September 2011. Featuring members of Hanoi Rocks and Lordi, Stala & So. brings modern touches to music inspired by the glam and hard rock scenes of the late 70s through the 90s. These boys can rock, whether performing gritty hard rockers, pop rock tunes or tearjerker ballads. It Is So. is a refreshing and diverse collection of songs written over the span of the band’s long career and each of them is done to perfection.Formed back in 1997, the band went by the simple name of So.. Following their own unique sense of direction, So. became well known on the Finnish club scene for their upbeat and positive music, rolling influences together from David Bowie, T-Rex and Sweet and blending in elements of Ratt and Dokken. Founded as a “live” band, So. learned right away exactly what it takes to entertain the crowds and have used their many years of experience to produce one of the finest debut releases of the last decade. Simple, high-energy tracks plus a handful of slow rockers, solid performances and amazing engineering make the now slightly renamed Stala & So.’s debut a must have for every hard rock / sleaze rock / glam rock fan.It is difficult to pick out the star member of the band, as each and every performer has their moment in the spotlight. Stala’s vocals are solid all around, but he does not stand alone. The harmony and backing vocals contributed by the other members are amazing and make this release a singer’s showcase. The guitar duo of Sami J and Pate Vaughn seem equally comfortable doing acoustic passages or solid metal riffs. Nick Gore’s bass gallops along and pushes most of the tracks to where they need to be, while ably partnering drummer Hank. Each and every song is tight and well done, making the band’s veteran status obvious. Teamwork, enthusiasm and a sense of fun are the keys here.After a goofy spoken intro, the album kicks into high gear immediately with “Got To Believe,” a slick bass driven rocker that displays the band’s vocal talents right off the bat. This track features some great guitar work and solid songwriting, as well as a heavy dose of the energy that permeates the entire album. “One Nite Stand” is the tale of a drunken evening and associated sense of regret, more of a pop-rock tune with a bit of sleaze rock rolled in. Neatly done guitars and an upbeat drum line make this one a toe-tapper. “She,” a mid-tempo rocker, shows the band softer side and lyrical storytelling abilities. Nice keyboards and a great rhythm line make “(Won’t Let You) Down Again” a winner. This “life on the road makes relationships tough” story track features a great bluesy guitar solo. The band turns it up to 11 with the high energy riffs and a bit of a Ratt style guitars on “Pamela” – a great sing along chorus with great vocals highlight this track.As was the tradition in the 80s and 90s, Stala & So. present not one, but two rock ballads – the first being the amazing tearjerker “Bye Bye”- easily the strongest vocal performance on the release with layers of music that build in power and intensity as the track progresses. This track could very well become the band’s breakout radio hit. “Shout” starts off with a great brassy guitar hook and gritty rock rhythms, and this up tempo rocker quickly becomes the band’s guitar and bass show piece. :my Happy Day” is a commercial rocker with a mellow tone, upbeat lyrics and a great bass & drum line. Big drums, gurgling bass and rhythm keyboards give “Woman” a great mid-80s feel. Nicely done acoustic guitars, heartfelt lyrics and incredible vocals mark the second of the ballads, “Spring Romance.” “Everything For Money” kicks back up into true glam rock and wraps the album with some hot guitar licks before fading into the single chord outro of “E Minor”.The engineering and recording of this album is absolutely jaw dropping. Any band or musician that wants to make a good sounding album could learn quite a bit from the techniques used here. Any producer or singer who wants to know how to best handle vocals owes it to themselves to listen to Stala & So.. Somehow the album manages to be very crisp and clean, yet avoids the sterility of many modern releases. The vocals are well balanced against the music, the bass and drums intense without pounding, and the guitars and keys ever present without dominating. The overall production values put this album among the best engineered CDs of the modern era, a big surprise considering the album is self-produced. There really are no negatives on this release – the closest one may be able to come is some odd word choices – nothing unusual for a non-native English speaking band.Very highly recommended for too many reasons to list – simply get it if you like energetic and upbeat rock of any sort.
Line Up:
Stala (aka Kita) - Vocals ex-Lordi
Sami J.: lead guitar, back vocals
Pate Vaughn: rhythm guitar, back vocals
Nick Gore: bass, back vocals
Hank: drums
Tracklist:
01. Got To Believe
02. One Nite Stand
03. She
04. (Won't Let You) Down Again
05. Pamela
06. Bye Bye
07. Shout
08. My Happy Day
09. Woman
10. Spring Romance
11. Everything For Money
12. E-Major
+ Video "Bye Bye" (Official Video)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
