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Temple Balls: Avalanche
Temple Balls - Avalanche Album Art

Temple Balls: Avalanche

Melodic Metal Rock
5.0/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 08.11.2023 | Released: 10.11.2023

Temple Balls. Who are they? What are they? I've been trying to figure out the meaning of their name since the Finnish band first crossed my desk in 2021 with their third studio album, Pyromide. You must say the moniker is unique, if not memorable. With the strength of the album, Temple Balls toured Europe with Swedish melodic metal masters H.E.A.T. Later, they marched through the Summer festival season in their native country. Now the quintet returns with their fourth long player, Avalanche, remaining with the Frontiers Music label.

Temple Balls - Click For Larger Image

Temple Balls

Characteristically, and consistently, Temple Balls continues to play melodic metal rock. Blurring the line, the Ballers easily straddle the fence between hard rock and heavy metal. For the former the rock rhythm and groove is there; to the latter the riffs are sharp and roaring, the pace ambitious. Both genres share epic solos. Then, Ballers songs are wrapped up in song melody, vocal harmony, and memorable refrains.


Which makes for a simple, easy, and perhaps short review. (Stop laughing.) That is to say, with Temple Balls, you know what you're going to get. From the gate, you get fast and heavy melodic metal rock. Twin guitar harmony propelled by they rhythm sections groove lead to climactic guitar solos. If you like guitar-driven melodic metal rock, you're in the right place. And there's no pause for some pussy ballad. What remains is a few song suggestions, favorites as it were.

Which is hard to choose from because they're all terrific. Perhaps my deference goes to those songs that tap into some AOR sensibility: Prisoner In Time, All Night Long, Dead Weight (nice drum start), Strike Like A Cobra, and Lonely Stranger. Another stand out was the more heavy and steady Stone Cold Bones which, I wondered, if arranged another way could have had a more blues orientation (perhaps like a Cinderella song).


All considered, Temple Ball's Avalanche is a solid, invigorating, and entertaining album of their signature, twin guitar driven, melodic metal rock. Perhaps even their best album to date. Easily recommended.


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The Take Away

Temple Ball's Avalanche is a solid, invigorating, and entertaining album of their signature, twin guitar driven, melodic metal rock. Perhaps even their best album to date. Easily recommended.

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