Human Temple - Halfway To Heartache

Although these Finish rockers started out very powerfully with the release of a very good debut album “Insomnia” in 2004… they almost disappeared from the scene for about 5-6 years till 2010, when they released their follow up “Murder of Crows”.

 

Thankfully, they strike back two years after their latest album with “Halfway To Heartache”. Once more they have some line-up changes; Risto Tuominen on guitars and Kalle Saarinen on drums joined Human Temple. The band’s hard rock is once again embellished with nice AOR and melodic rock features… and this time, the music is richer, with nicer hooks and finer song arrangements. Janne Hurme’s beautiful and expressive voice… is making the whole result more enjoyable. The sound is very dynamic and warm and overall, the production is great. The album was recorded & mixed by Kari Nieminen, produced by Kari Nieminen & Human Temple and mastered by Joona Lukala.

 

The album kicks off with the amusing hard n’ heavy (the first heavy riff is evoking memories of Judas Priest) tune “I Will Follow”… a very forceful beginning I must say. All the songs, here, are very good, but my beloved ones are: the tuneful hard rocker “Bleeding Through”, the pleasant melodic rocker “Like A Beat Of A Heart”, the wonderful AOR song “Our World Our Time” (maybe the best song of the album – a very catchy harmonious song), the memorable rockin’ “Almost There”, the powerful “Run Away”, the tuneful mid-tempo “Some Things Are Never Long Time Ago” (featuring Emppu Vuorinen on the guitar solo) and the sensational ballad “She Talks To Angels”. The cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tell Me Lies” is OK but it wouldn’t make any change to the album whether it’s there or not.

 

“Halfway To Heartache” is undoubtedly the best work of Human Temple as yet. Laconically, this is a wonderful melodic hard rock album with lots of AOR elements… that will please every fan of the genre. Support this band for it totally deserves it.