Year : 2024
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : Finland
Audio : 320 kbps + front
Size : 118 mb
Bio:
In 2009, Risto Tuominen got interested in a band that was being established by Janne ‘Gekko’ Granfors: a grunge-type of band with Krister Stenbom on the lead vocals, Tuomas Pelli on drums, and Gekko on guitar. They were after a bass player, but since Risto came along, Gekko took the bass guitar. A hard rock band ‘Villa Sucka’ was formed. They wrote songs actively and recorded an EP during the spring of 2010. In the same year, Risto got recruited to a melodic rock/AOR band ‘Human Temple’. Gekko soon followed him. In those times, Jori ‘Jorge’ Tojander was the keyboard player of Human Temple.As Human Temple was having a break, Risto decided to start recording his solo album in 2012. During the past years, he had written some songs that were never published. Risto asked Jorge, Gekko and Kalle Saarinen, all from Human Temple, to help him with the record. Also, Tuomas got an enquiry whether he could join. Initially the idea was to record already written songs just for his own sake, with good quality. But things got more and more ambitious… Risto came up with a thought of ‘Wake the Nations’ project band. Janne Hurme (Human Temple) and Petri Kitti (Violent Code) permitted him to record two of their songs as well, and so the album became to form an entity of its own.It took a year to fine-tune the songs. When it was time to record the vocals, Risto wasn’t confident enough to do it himself. So, he began to search for proper singers. In 2013, he found Estef Martinez (Insider) from Ecuador, Dado Topić (Time) from Croatia, Taage Laiho (Kilpi), and Nils Nordling (Silver Bullet). Janne Hurme and Krister Stenbom were invited also. In addition, Timo Pelander (Finlanders) played guitars and Jari Pailamo (King Company) keys on some tracks. ‘Sign of Heart’ was born in January 2015. The album got its way to the top-50 of the official Finnish chart in the first week after release.The band did not have a fixed front man and they were not supposed to tour anyways. But as a one-time-occasion, they played at album release party, it became evident that WTN would continue playing for live audience. Soon Krister joined the band and WTN hit bigger stages. Live performance in DBTL festival 2015 was a turning point: WTN opened for Sunrise Avenue and got some international interest after their show. Ever since, the band have been playing numerous gigs: for instance, they have toured Germany numerous times and supported Swedish metal act Dynazty during their ‘Titanic Mass’ tour in Finland. These guys are known not only for their music, but also energetic and positive attitude which is present on and off stage.
Album:
With the curious and far-fetched title “HEARTAGEDDON” WAKE THE NATIONS continue giving and directing their “heart” to the Art of Hard Rock that they practice, thus identifying and naming their previous albums (“Sign of the Heart” 2015 and “Heartrock” ” 2019). This will be the third WTN album to be released by Inverse Records in mid-September. The Finnish band is composed of Krister Stenbom (vocals), Risto Tuominen (guitar), Jane “Gekko” Granfors (bass) and Tuomas Pelli (drums). Despite being a group without a keyboardist at present, well-selected and very appropriate keyboards do sound in some songs.“Alive” is the single and it sounds very cool!!! The corresponding video is very cool, some actresses perform the playback performance in front of the cameras with a lot of energy and passion. The song reminds me of Freak Kitchen, with the instruments very well clarified and in the voice a Mattias ‘IA’ Eklundh imprint, without so many extravagances and virtuoso flourishes but with a capital letter of technique. In the following “Don’t call me tonight” they approach that patented and personalized Tyketto sound that fits in very well. The rhythm section, especially the bass, stands out greatly along with some hyperactive guitars. “Never say” begins with the push of some Helloween with Andi Deris and they sound wonderful in a chorus that seems to be sung by Erik Grönwall. Second single, “Bulletproof”, and excellent video recorded in a snowy desert. Another great Melodic Hard Rock song, with that classic Danger Danger hook, and of course, modern like The Defiants.If you are a fan of Eclipse, Remedy or HEAT you will have your share of Scandinavian Melodic Rock full of imagination. And they may sound like cult bands like Talk of the Town or Alien with the slow, fused, extra-emphasized AOR structure of “Wheel of Fortune». For “Lifesaver” the Pop percussion rhythms warm up, but the bass is the leader in this Freak Rock Heavy song as are those atrophied voices and experimental guitars. That Alternative Hard Rock with a comical air continues in “Seven” and it could be a great song for Freak Kitchen, Talisman or Mr. Big (the bassist surely perfected himself by studying Billy Sheehan). The stylistic and sonic variety of WAKE THE NATIONS is one of its attractions, and with the melody drawn between the classic and modern of “Crossroads of love” they are discovered without fear of change. They create the difference in songs like “I can take all”, they are spontaneous in the melodic epic, they search in harmonized verses and they are found in doubled choruses.Uffff….they nailing it with that initial riff in “The Shadows”, I have it in my collection and it sounds familiar, it reminds me of a version while I dance, tying my arms in a knot and turning my neck and head as if it were a ball of disco…, I scratch myself and I think I recognized the sting of Scorpions in the guitars, but those retro keyboards and choruses have me blinded and with no future in sight, my finger marks the “repeat” and I will not allow this song to go unnoticed. Another piece begins with mystery, different and entertaining like The Poodles, perhaps too strange, with vocal melodies that go head-to-head in “Cowboyz & call Girlz”. The penultimate “Hey” sounds clean and Hard Rock again, it has that impetus of the 80’s that practiced Mad Max, perfectly dominated Bonfire and that continued with Casanova. An intense song. They finish it off like the great and intelligent composers with an acoustic song titled “Street of fire”, electricity enters and chants are made in brotherhood, with tenderness and Rock nerve the album reaches its end.WAKE THE NATIONS play very well (the rhythm section is luxurious), they sound very good (the guitars multiply), the singer does it very well (creates a personal differentiating tone), they compose very well (with mastery and variety), they have recorded an album that is very good (with a lot of personality). You are going to love these songs (they have quality).
Line-Up:
Krister Stenbom - vocals
Risto Tuominen - guitar
Janne "Gekko" Granfors - bass
Tuomas Pelli - drums
Tracklist:
01. Alive
02. Don't Call Me Tonight
03. Never Say
04. Bulletproof
05. Wheel Of Fortune
06. Lifesaver
07. Seven
08. Crossroads Of Love
09. I Can Take It All
10. The Shadows
11. Cowboyz & Call Girlz
12. Hey
13. Street Of Fire
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
