Waltari – Nations Neurosis Limited Orange Vinyl LP Review

WALTARI is a Finnish band that has been active ever since 1986, so they have almost been on the scene for 40 years! Nations’ Neurosis is their 14th album so far, and through the years their line up changed several times (and featured members whom later would be part of bands like KREATOR, CHILDREN OF BODOM and ENSIFERUM), while musically speaking they have done a lot of various genres. The band’s main members are Kärtsy Hatakka on lead vocals, bass, keyboards and Jariot Lehtinen on guitars, backing vocals, while the rest of the current line up consists of Sami Yli-Sirniö on guitars, backing vocals, Ville Vehviläinen on drums, Kimmo Korhonen on guitars, backing vocals, Jani Hölli on keyboards and Antti Kolehmainen on guitars, backing vocals. As already mentioned, the music of WALTARI was a melting pot of many music genres, but alternative metal is the basic description here, yet with influences that range from punk to hip hop to progressive metal to techno to industrial and everything in between. I have to say that on this new album the band is mainly active in a melodic heavy rock/metal direction. I received a beautiful orange vinyl edition of their new album, which contains all the information and lyrics of the 11 tracks.

 

Opener Nature Rules is a superb catchy hookladen uptempo symphonic rocker with clear elements of progressive metal and a melodic chorus that is quite easy to sing-a-long. I wasn’t expecting such an earworm as first song, but WALTARI definitely delivers here a radio-ready catchy tune that would even please fans of NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA. Following Open The Gate is also a catchy tune, but this song also includes some World Music elements during the instrumental parts, although the song itself is pure uptempo melodic heavy rock. It seems the band has now chosen to go this direction, because the first part of the album is settling nicely in a comfortable melodic heavy rock direction that is not even far removed from bands like EDGUY, PINK CREAM 69, MOON DOC’, PRAYING MANTIS, PRETTY MAIDS and such, yet with a clear Alternative touch here and there. However, after a few songs it starts to sound a bit heavier and aggressive (Do You Accept?), while during the Industrial influenced Murder Plot and the modern hip hop pop inspired Diversity the band grabs back to their earlier experimental direction. Side-B of the vinyl edition has 5 more songs to offer, and here we once again have the mix of the more melodic symphonic heavy rock direction that I personally like a lot (Sun and Flowin’) and the experimental side of the band (Higher and Last Chance). Basically, WALTARI is offering a lot here and is trying to reach both the regular melodic heavy rock market and an experimental market like they did in the past.

 

Anyway, everything sounds quite impressive, both musically and vocally speaking, while the production is crystal clear, especially on this vinyl edition! Without a doubt, WALTARI has delivered another great new album that might see them approaching a more friendlier sound than in the past, but fans of melodic heavy rock/metal and alternative rock/metal will definitely appreciate it!

 

Written by: Gabor

Ratings: 8/10