The Magnificent Finland

"For some reason, Scandinavians and rock music go really well together - almost regardless of the genre. Take, for instance, Finnish-Norwegian hard rock act The Magnificent's eponymous debut album. Stylistically, the album offers tasty, clean and streamlined melodic hard rock which is so rich in melody and catchiness that, even if you actually do not like the album at all, you are bound to remember at least one chorus line. The musicianship is top notch, and guitar fans can look forward to many impressive guitar solos, many of which are truly virtuosic. The vocals are also no less than impressive, and Michael Eriksen of Circus Maximus fame definitely gives the album yet another point of attraction. There are plenty of references to the golden age of AOR, and this is yet another release that rivals the best melodic hard rock and AOR releases of the 80s. Whether you are listening to a massive ballad like 'Angel' or a riff strong rock track like 'Cheated by Love' or 'Satin and Lace', if you like AOR, you are bound to enjoy it. "The Magnificent" is warmly recommended to any fan of AOR or melodic hard rock - it simply has all the elements that make good and memorable 80s-style hard rock. (review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)"