Escape/Sound Pollution
Finnish melodic rockers HUMAN TEMPLE return with “Halfway to Heartache”, their third album. Influenced by the likes of DOKKEN and KISS vocalist Janne Hurme and drummer Petri Lehto formed a band. In 1995 Janne was a solo artist in the pop genre and with some success as well. In 1998 history repeated itself as the duo once more joined forces, resulting in “Insomnia” in 2004. 2010 saw the light of “Murder of Crows” and now in 2012 we get this new album.
The material in general has an easiness with melody that can be compared to EUROPE in their first heyday. They are not overly light either, which I find positive. The absolute highlight to me is the sticky “Almost There”. The refrain lingers and the keyboards take care of the final touches. Songs like “I Will Follow”, “Bleeding Through”, which has a riff achin to “Don´t Blame Me”, “Like a Beat of a Heart” where guitar and keyboard are intertwined, “Run Away” with its fine chorus and the lengthy titled “Some Things Are Never Long Time Ago”, perhaps the strongest hit material on offer, are also strong and almost genuinely stand out material. It´s only when they border on US elevator music, as in “Because of You”, that I get a bit bored. I also note the penalty shot of a cover of “Little Lies” by FLEETWOOD MAC. All in all this is a solid melodic hard rock album, and you can certainly do much worse in 2012!
Track List
I Will Follow
Bleeding Through
Like a Beat of a Heart
Our World Our Time
Almost There
Run Away
Little Lies
Because of You
Misery
Some Things Are Never Long Time Ago
She Talks to Angels
www.escape-music.com www.myspace.com/humantemplefinland
