Arctis

Finland, a country who has one of the deepest connections with heavy music. Legendary bands such as Nightwish, Children of Bodom and Apocalyptica all hail from the nordic country. Arctis has emerged from the shadows of these legends. Combining modern day pop music with metal is something that bands try to pull off constantly. It does not always tend to work. On Arctis, the band’s self titled debut, the members clearly show their influences from different bands and genres, and it is evident throughout.

Opener ‘I’ll Give You Hell’ was also the lead single for this record. It is fast, but catchy thanks to the huge poppy chorus and the first powerful performance from vocalist Alva Sandström. The guitar solo is extremely short, which does not work because the guitars are like a wall on this record. A rhythmic wall of sound, accompanying the bass and drums. The final chorus, puts the emphasis on melody, drilling the hook into your head. Making sure it will stay there for an extremely long time.

The third song sounds like an intense version of the Fallout Boy hit song ‘Centuries’. It is from this point on, that the album really starts to improve.

The following track has another powerful vocal performance. This is where more of the electronic elements come through. The synths and programmed drum machine sounds lurk in the background, but the song truly explodes during the chorus, which contrasts the verses nicely. The bridge is dull, and sounds mellow with just the electronic elements, but when the chorus returns one last time, it is even more powerful because of the contrast.

‘Frozen Swan’ is the ballad of this album. Placing it halfway through the listening experience is a genius move as it gives the listener a breather. That is not to say that it is not a powerful song. It may have the biggest sounding chorus on the record. The guitar solo fits perfectly and is executed spot on. This is where the guitars get the chance to shine, none of the other songs are as guitar driven as this one is.

‘When The Lights Go Out’ is one of the ultimate party songs on this record. The bridge is long and creates tension perfectly to lead into the chorus which is extremely catchy once again. A uniquely fast and uplifting bridge is unique as it fits the track, and does not aim to build the last chorus up unlike most of the songs here. Making this one of the better songs on Arctis.

The album closer ‘Theatre Of Tragedy’ yet again starts with a more stripped-back sound in the verse, with an explosive chorus, which is not as powerful as some of the others throughout this record. The second verse is a little heavier as the full band get involved, as the chorus gets extended and is punchier than the first one. One final short guitar solo leads into the chorus, again making sure to get the melodies stuck in your head.

Overall, this is an album that will appeal to both metalheads and pop fans alike. The choruses are catchy, and full of melody, and despite the fact that musically, these songs are simple, and are not the most technical sounding, the vocals soar and they help elevate this record. For being a debut album, Arctis have made a very strong attempt of finding that balance of originality with something that people have heard before. In the future, they will only grow on that, and perhaps will join some other legendary names as carrying the flag for Finnish heavy metal.