CASABLANCA – Miskatonic Graffiti (2015)
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Something has changed in CASABLANCA‘s camp. After taking a look at the cover of the new album from the Swedish band – “Miskatonic Graffiti“, released today – and even more after listen to it, this has nothing in common with their debut appeared three years ago, basically melodic hard rock oriented.
Oh yeah, Casablanca has grown musically and are not afraid to explore new a fascinating ground.
Indeed, “Miskatonic Graffiti” is a different animal. The melodic hard rock foundation is still there, but new enriched by an interesting progressive development with nuances of space rock.
And we have a concept, based on awesome mystery / horror writer H.P. Lovecraft’s work.
It’s a twist of Lovecraft’s Cthulu mythology, the title of the album is taken from the famed Miskatonic University, a central character and setting for many of the stories Lovecraft wrote. It tells the story of The Originals, a group of creatures who pre-date H.P. Lovecraft’s Old Ones and refuse to give up on their dreams of sex, love, rock and fast cars, despite the impending collapse of civilisation.
The album is bookended by the two longest numbers, ‘Enter The Mountain’ and ‘Exit The Mountain’, and this is where the whole melodic hard / space rock comes in, especially with the former, quite ethereal at times.
However, those only add more variation and texture to the record, as the rest of the material blend melodic rock / hard – elaborated, yes – with a light progressive orientation.
It can be catchy, even AOR-like or radio-friendly, with ‘Sister’. More so, even reverting back to Casablanca’s first album, is the subtle (gentler in the current context) title cut. It’s smooth, moving by the slick soothing refrain.
Then there’s something akin to a ballad or anthem in ‘She Was The One’ starting with lighter guitar and vocals, only to get gutsy and heavy with flaming guitar solos in the later half. Other numbers add an extra dose of groove, slick riffs, and some old-school keyboards as with ‘This Is Tomorrow’ and ‘Closer’.
Instead of staying safe, Casablanca surprise with bravado on their new album “Miskatonic Graffiti”. You gotta have big b@lls to open your third album with the spacey ten-minute epic that is “Enter the Mountains”. Especially when you are a band from which all are expecting instant, catchy melodic hard rockers.
But don’t be afraid; that works really well to try something different, and Casablanca succeeds on it.
Then, on most of the record the Swedes – including American guitarist Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper, Slash’s Snakepit) who provides a superb six string work – deliver song format tracks with a sound that is equal parts Drivin ‘N’ Cryin’ and D.A.D., as well as aspects of White Lion and later day Enuff Z’Nuff, plus hints of Cheap Trick.
Bravo to Casablanca, one of the few Melodic Hard Rock from the present scene trying something different… and with excellent results.
Highly Recommended.
01. Enter the Mountains
02. Closer
03. This Is Tomorrow
04. My Shadow Out of Time
05. Re: Old Money
06. Sister
07. Name Rank Serial Killer
08. Miskatonic Graffiti
09. She Was the One
10. Exit the Mountains
Anders Ljung – Vocals
Erik Almstrom (Bullet) – Guitar
Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper, Slash’s Snakepit) – Guitar
Erik Stenemo (Melody Club) – Guitar
Mats Rubarth – Bass
Josephine Forsman (Sahara Hotnights) – Drums
BUY IT !
cdon.eu/music/casablanca/miskatonic_graffiti-33998035
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