AHOLA – Tug Of War (2014)
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AHOLA is band put together by Jarkko Ahola of the Finnish metal groups Terasbetoni and Northern Kings, wich are releasing its sophomore album “Tug Of War” today, March 21 via Playground Music.
I only know Jarkko from his work with Northern Kings, but this, his own band, is much more melodic and hard rock oriented than metal.
“Tug Of War” draws influences from late seventies and eighties classic British hard, along with a modern, updated sound. A suitable mix of past and present, which is always an essential part of rock music.
Ahola’s musical core consists of melodic tunes with lots of feeling, riff-based hard rock with blood but polished and clean. Jarkko vocals are energetic yet controlled, in the ‘classy’ way of the genre and sporting a very good English diction.
Opener “The End of The Line” confirms these guys love for the ’80s, a pulsating mid-tempo performed with class. Furthermore, “Road of Creation” also contains these ‘old-school’ rhythms but darker, reminding me Tony Martin / Black Sabbath within the main chorus.
Then, for the title track “Tug Of War” Ahola adds a touch of progressive in the vein of many American bands (think Queensryche circa Empire) but the tone of the song is pure Euro melodic hard rock. It’s a solid composition and one of my favorites.
With “On The Run” the band moves to a more modern territories and a sharper sound. The guitar solo is hot (in fact lead gunner Antti Karhumaa did an outstanding job on all this album) fast and catchy.
The name “Still Metal” says all; a hymn, an homage to Eighties Euro hard ‘n heavy like 220 Volt or Scorpions, followed by another describable title: “Rock’n’Roll”, a fresh, cool hard rocker driven by foot-tapping riff.
As you see, Ahola plays classic stuff, and they do it really tight and from the heart.
“The Will You Always Had” rocks with shades of ’84s Whitesnake, “I Need You” is a vibrant number with an ‘Americanized Dio’ feel and a strong melody, while “Dog” brings lots of hard, bluesy groove.
“One Among The Crowd” is the ballad, and a really good one mixing electric & acoustic guitar, with Jarkko Ahola using the diversity of his voice at many levels through a melancholic atmosphere.
But the band offers even more variation; “The Final Incantation” adds some Eastern / Indian melodies to the groovy hard rock, and somehow summarizes the assorted styles of this very good band.
Very well recorded and produced, Ahola’s “Tug Of War” is a welcomed classic Hard Rock release, varied, dynamic, never boring in its 52 minutes. It’s that kind of records appeared twenty five years ago, which used to leave you with a smile on the face after listening.
Dio, Whitesnake, Tony Martin / Black Sabbath, etc. – all in their more melodic, hard rockin’ side – are represented in Ahola’s music. And I like it a lot.
Very Recommended.
01 – The End of the Line
02 – Road of Creation
03 – Tug of War
04 – On the Run
05 – Still Metal
06 – Rock’n’Roll
07 – One Among the Crowd
08 – The Final Incantation
09 – The Will You Always Had
10 – I Need You
11 – Dog
12 – Age of Hubris
13 – Beerland 2
Jarkko Ahola: Vocals, Guitar
Antti Karhumaa: Guitar
Jari “Jamo” Laitinen: Bass
Antti Mäkelä: Drums
BUY IT !
www.recordshopx.com/artist/ahola/tug_of_war
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