Firenote Firenote
by Derric Miller
Staff Writer
And you thought that all music from Finland (like HIM, The 69 Eyes, Lordi, Children of Bodom, etc.) had to be dark and thematically despondent. Well, Firenote is anything but. Every song on their new self-titled debut could fit in the ‘80s; every song exudes an Arena Rock mentality that doesn’t typically see the light of day in the industry, especially in Finland. With scorching guitar solos and high-pitched vocals, Firenote picks up where bands like TNT and Firehouse left off …
It’s always weird when a band writes a song about themselves, and Firenote does it anyway on the first song, “Firenote.” Lead singer Ricky definitely can nail the high notes, but he also sounds a bit like Doro on the lower notes here — yeah, that’s the opposite of what you expected to read. “Firenote” is a Hard Rock pop hit, and everything you remember from the ‘80s gets included here: a breakdown after the guitar solo, high-pitched screaming and a rhythm you can strip to, and probably will.
Their first single from the debut is “Danger,” a moody, more mid-tempo composition. It starts with a dangerous vibe and builds to a more straight-forward rhythm. You will have to be impressed with their choruses, and this may be the best on the release. The gang vocals are sheer melody, and they are followed by a brief and passionate guitar lead from Isko. This is the song that got them airplay in Finland, and introduced the band to the masses.
Firenote’s second single is “Sara La Fountain.” If you expected them to go the Power Ballad route, they don’t quite get there, but it is a slower track in parts. Firenote — like Giant, Winger, Danger Danger, Europe, etc. before them — have a keyboardist in their arsenal, and the keys from Hammond play a large role in making this track so appealing. The atmospheric keyboard passages soften the verses, and they also get a solo section during the song before the obligatory guitar solo. Ricky slays on another high-pitched wail, and he sounds bit like Timo from Stratovarius on his higher notes.
The first ballad is “My Love Will Never Die,” a keyboard-led, mournful track. You’ve probably heard this kind of thing before, but this is a lot like a Dennis Develin track in spirit, especially when Ricky sings, “My love will never die, though it’s not for you.” It’s a little confusing as the protagonist goes back and forth between missing the one he loves and feeling so lonely at night without her, but it all leads back to his love not being for the one he misses anyway.
“Love” seems to be in full swing with Firenote, because the next track is “Don’t Ever Fall in Love” followed by “Love Me or Let Me Live.”
After the LOVE triumvirate, one of the more orchestral songs is “Suddenly.” Another slower song, you will again hear Ricky only accompanied by keys, but then the bass and drums kick in and the song takes off, only to slow back down. Firenote handles these tempo changes with aplomb, which lead to one of the highest notes you’ll hear on the CD during the chorus. It’d be impressive to hear Ricky pull off these notes in a live environment, because it can’t be very comfortable hitting them.
The debut ends with the hilarious “She Stole My Speedos,” and you almost have to assume this happened to one of the band members. The song is fast and you can’t help but laugh when Ricky sings, “She stole my speedos, they meant so much to me. Cuz my speedos are everything I’ll ever need!” The huge backing vocals, again melodic as hell, add to the hilarity. If you want to get a true feel for Firenote, check out this song before all of the others. This may have gained them way more awareness than “Danger” and “Sara La Fountain” put together.
So, for those suicidal Goths with pierced lips, cheeks and noses, this Finnish band isn’t making music for you. Firenote is a celebration, pure and simple. It’s a shout-out to an era when bands used to sell millions of albums, pack stadiums, and everyone who went to the show could sing every song word for word. If you pick up the debut from Firenote, it’ll make you miss those days more than ever, while giving you hope that maybe those days are on the way back.
Label: IVK Music Finland
Online: www.myspace.com/firenote
01. Firenote
02. Danger
03. Sara La Fountain
04. Speed Freak
05. My Love Will Never Die
06. Don’t Ever Fall In Love
07. Love Me Or Let Me Live
08. Mayday
09. Suddenly
10. Heartbreaker
11. She Stole My Speedos
Hardrock Haven Rating: 8.1/10