FREE SPIRIT - review added 11th February 2009
Album Review: Pale Sister Of Light (2009)
For fans of: hard rock... and a dreamy folk feel you can't quite put your finger on
Free Spirit hail from Finland. Formed by vocalist Sami Alho and drummer Pasi Koivumäki, the current line-up of Vesa Yli-Mäenpää and Marko Haapamäki on guitars, bass player Sami Hämäläinen and keyboard maestro Timo Alho was formed in 2006.
Pale Sister Of Light is an album of symphonic and harmonic beauty. The guitars rock and the rhythms pound, but the overall sensation is of depth and accessible complexity. There are many moments on the album with the feel of Iced Earth, but there's an overwhelming glow of folk music woven into the mix. It's like listening to the world's best campfire story teller, with special effects by Universal Studios.
Opening track 'Shadow Of A Man' is stunning. The verses may be great, but the chorus is spellbinding. It makes you want to don a cape and ride a Clydesdale to a mystical castle. There's such a fantastical vibe to the track it makes real life sound utterly boring.
'Moonlight Ride' follows a similar path. Dream-inspired multi-layered harmonies dominate the sound - fans of Blind Guardian will lap this up like cats in a sea of cream. The title track is a much more straight ahead hard rock track. Not to say it isn't good, because it is. In fact the contrast to the previous two tracks works brilliantly.
'Radiant light' has a different feel again. With a thumping bass line and speedy guitar sound, the track races along like a semtex powered avalanche. 'Easy Days' is a medieval minstrel masterpiece. I'm sure there's a lute and a pipe in the background. Whatever, the resulting sound is wonderful. 'Strangers', however, is on another level. Up there with the first track, the chorus is so good you could marry it and live happily ever after.
Pale Sister Of Light is a truly brilliant album. The harmonies and multi-layering work sublimely and, though Free Spirit reference the sound of a few other bands, the end result is still unique. Debut albums don't get much better than this. I'm already moist with anticipation for the next release!
Check out... The harmonies all the way through the album. They really are exceptional.
Track List:
1. Shadow of a Man
2. Moonlight Ride
3. Pale Sister of Light
4. Heroes Don’t Cry
5. Radiant Light
6. Cry of an Eagle
7. Easy Days
8. Strangers
9. Until the Night
10. Far Away from Heaven
11. Preacher Man
Artist's websites: Free Spirit , MySpace
