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Firenote: Firenote

AOR/Melodic Hard Rock

Rating: 4.0/5.0

IVK Music
www.firenote.com
www.myspace.com/firenote
Review: Craig Hartranft,  09.21.2009

Our friends across the pond in the UK, Europe, and Scandinavia probably have the corner on modern AOR and melodic hard rock founded upon classic roots. Finnish newcomers Firenote are another fine edition to this heritage. Like their cousins Brother Firetribe, Firenote delivers huge anthems with strong melodies, lush vocal arrangements, and catchy hooks made for the glory days of arena rock.

Gravitating between gritty and quick rockers like Firenote or Speed Freak and melodic hook laden charmers like Sara La Fountain or Mayday, Firenote sacrifices no traditional AOR element catch your attention. Firenote also puts the power back into ballad on My Love Will Never Die where the Geddy Lee-like vocals of vocalist Ricky soar along with ambitious arrangement. Firenote is probably at their best when they combine epic arena rock with the Tobi Sammett (Edguy), type tongue-in-cheek humor, of She Stole My Speedo, by far the best track on the album. If Firenote can keep both the great hooks, especially that dash of old school keys, and the serious lack of seriousness in their music, they'll have my attention for quite some time. But they'll have to overcome some serious comparisons to fellow countrymen Brother Firetribe

Finland's Firenote has the right formula for great arena level melodic rock with strong hooks over great melodies supported by solid arrangements. Recommended!

Finland's Firenote has the right formula for great arena level melodic rock with strong hooks over great melodies supported by solid arrangements. However, the bugger may be the inevitable comparisons to compatriots, Brother Firetribe.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]