Shiraz Lane's 'Carnival Days' - Album Review

Previously on this blog I have mused about the amount of quality hair/sleaze metal that is currently coming out of Scandinavia. Despite the fact that the vast majority of the big glam metal acts from the 1980s came from America, over the past decade or so Finland and Sweden have ushered forward a new generation of bands that are willing to tease their hair, don their cowboy boots, and follow in the footsteps of Mötley Crüe and Poison. Of course it cannot be forgotten that one of the forerunners of the glam metal genre Hanoi Rocks hailed from Finland, but this anomaly aside Scandinavia had very little to do with one of the most hedonistic periods in rock history. The Scandinavian hair metal revival is quite remarkable however, with bands like Reckless Love, Crashdïet, and Santa Cruz putting out albums that put a fresh take on a genre that many thought was dead. It seems that there is still a market for good time party anthems, and these bands have filled the void. Finland's Shiraz Lane are another such band, although one who are less established than the others previously mentioned. The five piece have been around since 2011, but only released their debut album, For Crying Out Loud, two years ago after signing to Italian melodic rock record label Frontiers Records. What makes Shiraz Lane stand out however is their heavier sound, that makes use of a much bluesier tone than many of their Scandinavian peers. Shiraz Lane are not a glittery band that pack their songs with poppy choruses, but instead have headed down a tougher road with plenty of swagger. In some respects they remind me of some of the long-forgotten gems of the late 1980s hair metal scene, namely Rock City Angels and Salty Dog, with their bluesy riffs and heavier vibe. For Crying Out Loud showcased this well, and was dripping with classic blue traits all wrapped up in a dirty hard rock sound. Tropes from the hair metal songbook, including high-pitched vocals and gang-vocal choruses, were also present which helped Shiraz Lane's music to be catchy as well as brooding. Two years on from For Crying Out Loud the band are back with their new album Carnival Days, which is a collection of songs that builds on the ones that came before. While the raw edge from For Crying Out Loud has gone somewhat, it has been replaced by a more modern, heavier sound. Thankfully however, this has been done much more successfully than on Santa Cruz's 2015 self-titled album. That was a misstep nu-metal/glam hybrid that fell a bit flat, but this is a powerful album of modern sleazy hard rock that has enough of the blues to make it swagger, but enough of a metal edge to make it really pack a punch. The lack of a rawer edge has not sterilised the band in any way, but in my opinion has really improved their overall sound. There is a good balance of influences here, and th eleven songs contained within present the band in a varied and powerful light.

The album opens with the title track, which is a rollicking hard rocker complete with soaring saxophone leads and a bluesy piano backing. This is far from the traditional sleaze metal sound, with a slightly smokey, jazzy verses complete with wah-drenched guitar leads from Jani Laine (not to be confused with the late former Warrant frontman). This is a departure from the jaunty intro, but the song really gets going with the stadium-sized chorus which is filled out nicely by the additions of the saxophone and piano. At it's heart however, this is still a strong rocker in the 1980s style, with plenty of big vocal harmonies and a short, but soaring, guitar solo. The Crown is a heavier piece, and one that sounds more like the songs the band wrote for their debut album. Based around a big riff from rhythm guitarist Miki Kalske, the hits hard from the outset and rocks like a modern Mötley Crüe number - but with a slightly poppier chorus. It is the chorus that really defines this song, and sees frontman Hannes Kett unleashing some of his trademark high-pitched vocals. I felt that he overused this technique throughout the first album, but he has reigned it in here and only uses it at choice instances for strong effect. Lead single Harder to Breathe is another hard-hitting song with some strange effects-heavy vocal during the intro and a very rhythmic verse led by Joel Alex's bass. Despite the meaty, modern overtones, the chorus is still a real throwback to the 1980s with some huge melodies that contrast well with the tough metal riffing. This is a song that really sums up the sound that Shiraz Lane are trying to present throughout Carnival Days, and shows the successful mix of classic 1980s hard rock elements with a more modern sound perfectly. Tidal Wave has a bit of a different sound to anything else here, as the main melody hooks here are augmented by some synths for a slightly strange sound. The guitars still form the basis of the song, but some rather prominent electronics drag this one out the 1980s. This gives the song an overall quite dancey feel, with lots of strong bass work from Alex throughout. This definitely feels like a big of an experiment from the band, and is a far cry from the dirty blues of their debut album. They just about pull it off however, and it makes for an interesting song. Gotta Be Real is the album's first ballad, and the saxophone from the first song (played by session man Samuel Muntlin), returns too add some bluesy goodness throughout. The verses are fairly laid back, with the two guitarists strumming a gentle chord sequence atop a punchy rhythm, while the chorus ramps things up a little with soaring saxophone melodies and plenty of harmony vocals. It never becomes a heavy track however, and stays in ballad territory despite having quite a big, full sound. For me this is one of the album's standout pieces, as it makes good use of influences outside of the band's norm to create something familiar, but different at the same time. People Like Us is another strong rocker, which again features some driving piano throughout for that bluesy feel. Despite the upbeat nature of the song, it never feels in your face. It manages to remain fairly laid back despite everything, which gives it a strong summery feel. Laine lays down a great guitar solo here too, which really allows him to show off his skills as a musician.

Shangri-La is another fairly laid back piece, which again could be categorised as a ballad. It is probably the least Shriaz Lane-sounding song on the album, and instead sounds like a modern pop ballad with a little more of an edge. If it was not for the occasional soaring bluesy guitar lead you would be forgiven for thinking this was the latest chart favourite's new accessible ballad. Despite this, it is not a bad song and still manages to be memorable with a decent chorus. It does built up somewhat towards the end when a more traditional rock riff is introduced which leads into a short guitar solo. This reminds you that this is indeed a rock band playing this song, rather than some new country pop star! Luckily War of Mine brings the rock back to the album with some strident riffing and another excellent chorus with some great vocals from Kett. During my first listen to this album, this song was one of the ones that really stood out from the beginning. The chorus is one of the most instantly memorable here, and it remains a favourite of mine now. Musically this is a fairly basic song and it does not contain any major standout riffs or solos, but everything hangs well together to create a simple but melodically strong song that is sure to go down well live. Shot of Life features one of my favourite riffs on the album, which sounds like a country rock melody played through an 1980s metal filter. While this sounds like it should not work, it does and it forms the basis for another strong song. The chorus sees Kett once again unleashing some of his smooth high-pitched vocals, as well as some anthemic gang vocals in parts, while the verses build on the slightly quirky rhythms created by the aforementioned main riff. It also contains one of the lengthier guitar solos on the album, and it is really impressive. Laine starts off slowly, playing through a few wah-heavy licks, before really speeding up to a shredded conclusion. Hope is the last ballad of the album, with plenty of acoustic guitar chords and subtle bluesy leads thrown in fairly often for colour. Out of all three of the ballads here, this is probably my favourite as it feels like something that could have been released in the 1980s without any of the modern pop trappings that the others have. The chorus really feels like something that would go down well live, as the natural swing that is injected into it by drummer Ana Willman would help create some gentle movement in the crowd while everyone sang along. Laine's guitar solo is packed full of bluesy goodness too, and is perfect for this song. The album comes to a close with the seven minute-plus Reincarnation which starts out slowly with some gentle guitar moods before expanding into a fairly laid back piece that has a great organic sound throughout with some subtle organ textures and layers of different guitars. Shiraz Lane have not really written a song like this before, and the mature sounds throughout this piece really shines through. There are heavier moments throughout, which sound more akin to the band's usual sound, and these contrast really well with the more singer-songwriter esque parts elsewhere. This is a varied song that rounds out the album really well and shows a new side to the band. Overall, Carnival Days is a strong second album from the Finnish band and one that sees them branch out from their debut album. While some may be disappointed at the loss of the rawness here, the songwriting throughout is varied and offers a lot to a listener who is willing to give the album some dedicated listening.

The album was released on 23rd February 2018 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Harder to Breathe.