HARD ROCK SALLINEN – Heavy Metal Symphony ’82 (Expanded 40th Anniversary Edition +10) (2022)

Finnish metalheads have always been puzzled by the question of which is their country’s first metal band. The answer is HARD ROCK SALLINEN, founded in the mid-Seventies by brothers Seppo (Vocals, Bass) and Juke Sallinen (Drums).
Their source of inspiration was Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Rainbow, Mountain, Aerosmith and Cactus, hard rock / metal with US and basically, British influences. HARD ROCK SALLINEN songs were featured on three compilation albums and released one 7” single before the band signed their first recording contract in the early 1980’s.
The debut album ”Heavy Metal Symphony” was released in 1982, a cult LP and a collector’s rarity for decades. Now it’s being re-released for the first after 40 years, expanded & remastered and including as bonus that rare first single, demos, and recordings for the 2nd album that never was, as HARD ROCK SALLINEN disbanded in 1984.

”Heavy Metal Symphony” delivers solid, classic early ’80s Heavy Rock, crunchy stuff driven by straight riffs and adorned with vintage keyboards. Songs like title track ‘Heavy Metal Symphony’, ‘No Lies’, ‘Bye Bye Girl / Hello Woman’ and ‘So Long My Friend’ takes you back to that ‘analog’ sound, real instruments and rock n’ roll passion. Classy stuff, they even do a fine cover of Rolling Stones ‘Paint It Black’.
On the bonus material recorded 1983 HARD ROCK SALLINEN add a noticeable NWOHM sound, so in vogue at the time, all enjoyable music as well.

HARD ROCK SALLINEN’s LP was well received and the band performed at every venue possible, however the group disbanded in 1984. Why? The background is a familiar story: in Finland at that time there were not much ‘rock places’, or really any infrastructure that could have pushed heavy rock forward. Additionally no experienced managers or proper gig sellers to put the band on other European markets.
The result was only frustration and the band simply disappeared from the world map. Still, HARD ROCK SALLINEN can be considered as the first milestone in the Heavy Metal / Hard Rock History of Finland, and ”Heavy Metal Symphony” became a curiosity and a highly collectible LP.
Highly Recommended

Disc 1 – Heavy Metal Symphony ’82 remastered
01 – Heavy Metal Symphony
02 – Show Me That Woman
03 – Just Feel and Dig It (Take It Home)
04 – No Lies
05 – Bye Bye Girl – Hello Woman
06 – One Night – Two People
07 – Let’s Make Love
08 – Soul-Rocket
09 – So Long My Friend
10 – Paint It Black

Disc 2 – Bonus Tracks
01 – Let’s Make Love (7″ Version)
02 – So Long My Friend (7″ Version)
03 – My Real Fantasy (Demo 1983)
04 – Burning Pain (Demo 1983)
05 – Russian Blues (Demo 1983)
06 – Stillborn (Demo 1983)
07 – The Queen of the Highlights (Demo Late ’70s)
08 – Oidipus Feeling (Demo Late ’70s)
09 – These Boots Are Made for Rockin’ (Demo Late ’70s)
10 – Band Keep on Rollin (Demo 1983)

Seppo Sallinen: Vocals, Bass
Juke Sallinen: Drums
Jare Renko: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Vainu: Keyboards

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