2017 Recordings Review: TEMPLE BALLS - Traded Dreams

TEMPLE BALLS - Traded Dreams

CD ℗ 2017

Melodic Hard Rock

1. Intro
2. Off The Grid
3. Freak Flag
4. Hell and Feelin' Fine
5. We Stand Tall
6. Mad
7. Let's Get It On
8. Hang On
9. Ride Along
10. Six Ways To Sunday
11. Under My Feet

The first full length CD from the Finnish Hard Rock band Temple Balls is nothing but pure melodic Rock 'N' Roll made for parties. The band put down the bases at the end of the previous decade and from there they worked hard to get noticed, opening for huge names like Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and hitting the stages at numerous festivals.

As a result of such dedication Traded Dreams sounds like a CD from a well experienced group rather than from a complete newcomers. The production is flawless, crisp and dynamic, while their music shows great maturity. Recorded in Thailand the CD was produced by Tobias Lindell who is known for collaboration with Europe and H.E.A.T.

The CD opens with Off The Grid a hook laden tune closely followed by Freak Flag to add more fist pumping action to the trilogy of exuberance with Hell And Feelin' Fine.

We Stand Tall leads the bouquet of songs with straight Classic Rock feeling. The other characteristics of these tunes such as Mad and Six Ways To Sunday is the simple yet effective arrangements.

Jimi Valikangas and Antti Hissa, the rhythm section of the band gets to shine on Let's Get It On and Ride Along where the main emphasis was put on the groove. I especially loved the later one for it's intro and outro. Wish it was repeated more often within the song itself. Let's Get It On is aimed at huge Arena concerts and I can already picture and hear the crowd going wild.

Hang On has this instant feeling of warmth once Beatles could conjure out of nothing. The only song that didn't catch my attention was the Under My Feet closer. It starts slow and builds the momentum up to a mid-tempo, but I think there were at least a handful of other songs that would have done a better job of closing the album.

Nevertheless, even that last song has a fantastic solo, as all the other tracks on the CD jointly and expertly shared by Santeri Sirviö and Jiri Paavonaho. It is also a great pleasure to listen Arde Teronen delivering the vocal lines with ease of a professional.

RATING: 7 1/2 holly Balls chiming at 10 secluded Temples.