Smackbound is a metal band from Finland formed in 2015, releasing their debut album ’20/20′ in, err, ahem, 2020! Featuring ten songs across forty minutes of emotion, aggression and attitude, ’20/20′ was a glorious highlight of a pandemic-riddled year. Fronted by the fabulous Netta Laurenne (Laurenne/Louhimo), the band’s new album ‘Hostage’ (released in 2023) expands upon what ’20/20′ achieved – and with eleven songs on offer over fifty hard rocking minutes, there is so much more to enjoy…
…for the enjoyment of ’20/20′ is still pumping through my veins! With the powerhouse vocals of Netta still ringing in my head, I am ready for another beautiful barrage of metal and rock and everything in-between from the Finnish sensations – ‘Reap’ an immediate introduction to the sultry vocal shimmer of Netta. Blending metal traits with everything great about hard rock, ‘Reap’ is an elegant swagger that sets the bar for what is to follow. And what follows is ‘Change’, a mellower offering but rocky, featuring a dreamy vocal performance! A performance that can easily send you into a trance…
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Now where was I? Oh yes – reviewing the new album from Smackbound and song two, ‘Change’, a melodic rocker that showcases the band’s wide array of influences.
Moving swiftly on, the band delivered the fast-paced ‘Razor Sharp’ with a mighty punk attitude, the smell of heavy metal rising high into the air. The vocal raspy snarl of Netta is in full flight here, complemented by the purpose fuelled heavy metal raging in the background. And once again, Smackbound is showcasing its proficiency at effortlessly switching musical styles to offer something for everyone. And that includes bombastic, anthemic metal courtesy of ‘Rodrigo’, hitting harder than a baseball player hitting a home run! So raise your clenched fists high and punch the air in salute to a thunderous tirade of stomping metal. And what’s that? A little pop rock! Just maybe – ‘Break’ is a lighter song than everything heard so far! I say lighter ’cause when the chorus break hits, energy and oomph go through the fucking roof! And normal service is resumed – heavy-hitting music with incredible vocals. Smackbound really is a genre-hopping band…
…not content to be pigeonholed into just the one category of music! Continuing their impressive runaround of the metal and rock landscape, ‘Imperfect Day’ takes on the mantle of a ballad, replete with exquisite keyboards and angelic vocals. Definitely, time to raise your lighters aloft and sway from side to side, ‘Imperfect Day’ is the mellowest moment heard so far and the album’s midpoint. And with a sudden change in tempo and pace, the band motor on with the bombastic and highly melodious ‘Graveyard’. Infectious to the max with intoxicating vocals, the chorus break is highly to sing a long able and will surely go down an absolute storm live in concert. Providing the band does play it live! ‘Traveling Back’ is punchy, and threatens to break out into a bluesy romp, instead turning into another bombastic barrage of infectious and highly catchy heavy metal come hard rock. I was stunned by the band’s debut album three years ago. The variation on ’20/20′ was just incredible, as is the variation on offer here. ‘Hostage’ will take several listens to fully comprehend the enormity of what Smackbound have achieved.
And maintaining their penchant for delivering diversity, the band are in blistering form for the high velocity ‘Hold The Fire’ – a snarling vocal performance from Netta, the highlight of a superb song! It’s no secret I’m a fan of “the faster and heavier the better” style of metal, so surely it comes as no surprise I love ‘Hold The Fire’. Simply sensational, in my opinion.
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The title song ‘Hostage’ is the heaviest melodic heavy metal song on the album, chiming in at three minutes in length but making one of the biggest fucking impacts! And to be honest, I could easily listen to this style of metal twenty-four-seven! Oh wait – I already do (insert laughing emoji here). Never a day goes by without me listening to heavy metal music (apart from when I was seriously ill a number of years ago). The final song on the album ‘The Edge’, clocks in at over nine minutes in length, making it the longest song on offer – and what a song! From mellow beginnings to thunderous tirades, through angelic vocals to Netta’s trademark powerhouse style, ‘The Edge’ is an amazing piece of orchestration.
Overall, a varied compendium of musical styles, Smackbound offer metal, rock, balladry and a touch of punk.
TRACKLIST
Reap
Change
Razor Sharp
Rodrigo
Break
Imperfect Day
Graveyard
Traveling Back
Hold The Fire
Hostage
The Edge
Smackbound: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: AFM Records
Category: Album
Country: Finland
Reviewed by Iron Mathew for Frenzy Fire and Metal-Roos.
