Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

Höyry-Kone — Hyönteisiä Voi Rakastaa
(Ad Perpetuam Memoriam APM 9510, 1995, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 1996-03-01

Hyönteisiä Voi Rakastaa Cover art

From Finland comes Höyry-Kone ("Steam Engine"), together since 1991. This is their debut release — and one of the nicest surprises of '95. An eight-piece of violin, keyboards, cello, bass, drums, oboe, and dual guitars, vocals are shared by several of the band members. Their music, based in progressive rock, is varied and unusual, and a refreshing change in a world where just about everything you hear sounds like something you've heard before. Höyry-Kone is indeed different. Their sound is difficult to describe because it covers so much territory, and one needs to expect that anything can happen at any time. The strongest influence seems to be 70s King Crimson, solo Fripp, and League of Crafty Guitarists, evident primarily in the guitar work and in the overall spirit of their musical approach — although that influence is well absorbed and rarely becomes overly obvious, especially mixed with the trad elements, avant-gardisms, and other rock and classical influences that also permeate their eclectic mix. In addition, some unmistakable Magma influences are detectable on "Kosto," and to a lesser degree on some of the other tracks. The vocals are a mite unusual, all lyrics sung in Finnish, and often treated or processed and swirling in a cauldron of special effects. It takes a few listens to tune in to this album, but the rewards of patience certainly pay off. This is clearly one of the best new releases of 1995, and one that surely lives up to the word progressive.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 9, 1995 releases

Related artist(s): Höyry-Kone

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.