Mehida The Eminent Storm
by Joe Mis
Staff Writer
The Eminent Storm is the second release from the Finnish progressive/Christian metal band Mehida, and they seem to have quite nicely avoided the sophomore jinx. Bringing forward a unique blend of progressive metal, progressive rock and modern melodic metal, Mehida offers the listener a full disc of positive (but not preachy or overly “religious”) rock. In fact, there are so few direct references to religion of any sort that it is hard to classify this release as “Christian metal” – perhaps “human metal” or “moral metal” are better terms.
The lineup of Mehida has a solid pedigree, and some of the members will be familiar to fans of Euorpean metal. Vocalist Thomas Vikström (Therion, Stormwind, Candlemass) is joined by keyboard player Mikko Harkin (Sonata Arctica), guitarist Jani Stefanovic (Essence of Sorrow, Divinefire, Miseration), plus Toni Mäki-Leppilampi (bass), Olli Tanttu (guitars) and Markus Niemispelto (drums) – all members of Wingdom. The Eminent Storm an evolutionary follow up album to their 2007 release, Blood And Water, and builds on a solid foundation. Their music continues to spans genres and defies concrete classification, consisting of heavy tracks with very melodic overtones and softer songs with a distinct rock feel. The tone of the album is moody and brooding, but the lyrics are positive and refreshingly upbeat, and the lighter atmosphere produced by the keyboards keeps the music from being oppressive in any way.
As musicians, the members of Mehida are all top notch and very good at what they do. Undoubtedly the standouts of the band are vocalist Vikström and keyboardist Harkin, and the music seems to be built mostly around their respective talents. Vikström’s vocals are generally powerful, and he has 3 distinct voices – a low register growl, a smooth and soft midrange, and an amazingly solid high end falsetto. Harkin plays the keyboards with a deft touch, providing much of the melody but never dominating the music. Stefanovic and Tanttu make a fine guitar team and handle both rhythm and lead without difficulty. Mäki-Leppilampi’s bass is solid and driving and he plays well with drummer Niemispelto, giving Mehida a very solid bottom end. The band is joined by the choir vocals of the Kilven Kuoro on one track, and the hauntingly beautiful female voices of Riina A and Rita H on 3 others.
The opening track, “Wrath Of Flesh Fellowship,” has a very Eurometal feel to it, something that Malmsteen might have done in his early days. It features a very intense drum line and classical style keyboards. “Masquerade” is a very soft piece, which opens with a great keyboard riff and features some amazing falsetto vocals. Probably the best of the album, “Until The Day Breaks” is a sweeping melodic masterpiece with great lyrics, vocals and superb performances from every band member. “Land Of Oblivion” is a dark and pounding track with classical influences and full choir backing vocals, almost a medieval sound. Mehida lightens their sound and does a great job on the almost pop metal “Dream Giver” – great guitars here. “Draw Near To My Soul” is one of the few truly religious sounding songs, based in part on parts of Psalms 50 & 51 of the Old Testament. Musically it is a very moody piece, going from dark and sad to upbeat and positive, and features some fine backing vocals and keyboards.
“Abandoned” is very influenced by alternative rock, as displays a great bouncy bass line and aggressive drums, while “A Block Of Wood” is pure Dream Theater style progressive metal. “Where Could I Flee” dials back the intensity a little, but still is a high-energy modern rock track with great drums and nicely layered vocals. “Urban Scream”’s aggressive guitar opening leads into another of the better tracks, a moody and emotional progressive rock tune with a great chugging rhythm line. “Celestial Tears” wraps the album with style, featuring nice up-tempo keyboards layered over a dark and heavy rhythm guitar.
In conclusion, Mehida’s The Eminent Storm is a very good album. Musically complex and heavily textured, the tracks run the gamut from ultra heavy to light and melodic and all feature excellent musicianship and a great sense of style. With positive and uplifting lyrics and a distinct lack of preaching, Mehida manages to get their message across without being heavy handed. The only thing that may hold Mehida back from true commercial success is the classification as “Christian” metal – it would be a shame to see this band get pigeonholed as holy rollers, as they deserve better. If you are a fan of progressive metal, The Eminent Storm is well worth the listen.
Genre: Christian Metal, Progressive Metal
Band:
Thomas Vikström (vocals)
Toni Mäki-Leppilampi (bass)
Mikko Harkin (keyboards)
Jani Stefanovic (guitars)
Olli Tanttu (guitars)
Markus Niemispelto (drums)
Track Listing:
1. Wrath Of Flesh Fellowship
2. Masquerade
3. Until The Day Breaks
4. Land Of Oblivion
5. Dream Giver
6. Draw Near To My Soul
7. Abandoned
8. A Block Of Wood
9. Where Could I Flee
10. Urban Scream
11. Celestial Tears
Label: Bullroser Records
Website: http://www.myspace.com/mehida
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10