Metallitotuus

Teräsbetoni's debut album "Metallitotuus" is a fantastic album, which catches the listener's attention on the very first time. It's hard to resist singing along to the choruses, and it's equally difficult not to pound your fist into the air.

The 12-track album provides a few faster songs, some mid-paced and slower songs, and two ballads. Though the music is mainly quite straightforward, the musicianship is still quite impressive.
Simple but effective guitar riffs are present throughout the album, and the bass backing them up gives the album a thick and powerful sound. The guitar solos are also show the talent of the two guitarists very well. The drumming isn't exactly phenomenal, but then again, it doesn't need to be - the rather simple drum patterns are very appropriate, and there are some very nice bits and pieces on the album.
The main feature, however, is J. Ahola's voice. His voice ranges from a lower half-growl to a strong, high-pitched scream. His voice also retains its power at unbelievable heights, with no need to sing in falsetto. The vocals are perfect for the bombastic, powerful metal anthems which this album is full of.

The album doesn't really have any weak tracks, but there is still something to complain about - the songs lose their appeal after some time of intensive listening. They don't go completely stale, but they lose the impact they have on the first time they hit you from the speakers. The album is still a very strong one, with a great overall feeling.

The best tracks are the fast "Älä kerro meille," the unbelievably powerful mid-paced "Vahva kuin metalli," and the title track "Metallitotuus" which is a fantastic metal anthem with its operatic singing and shout-along chorus.

Teräsbetoni's debut is very promising thinking about their future, but it does leave a question in my mind - where to go from here, at least in terms of lyrics? It seems like almost everything has been covered on this album.