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Kick the Giant — Presence
(Bandcamp Inverse Records no#, 2024, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2024-08-24

Presence Cover art

I don’t know who the Giant is, nor why these guys from Helsinki want to kick them. What I do know is that Kick the Giant has carved out a very unexpected niche in music to inhabit. They’ve taken some of the cheerful pomp of 80s pop metal and injected it with several doses of both progressive rock and modern metal, and the result doesn’t sound like any other band I know of. From a musical standpoint I’ve always detested the 80s rock of bands like Europe, Poison, Ratt, Mötley Crüe, and the rest — I’d rather listen to just about anything else, including silence. So imagine my surprise when this album bursts out with “Presence,” and the kind of driving guitar-and-synthesizer intro that was so popular 40 years ago. After an initial “WTF?” reaction, during which I’m already thinking of writing the band off, the song moves into a catchy rock riff and a first verse that’s built on pretty nifty bass and drum parts. And then they move into the chorus with some more contemporary metal rhythm tricks, with chunky triplets and super-tight stops. Somehow they’ve managed to evoke some really tired cliches and make them sound fresh — and it comes off as both homage and parody, without being silly. Throughout, both guitar (Tony Hentilä) and keyboards (Oskar Ketola) are nimble, flashy, and melodic, tossing off fast lines and arpeggios in unison or in harmony. Several of the tracks feature the classic sound of a Hammond organ, while others go full-on with the synths. Lauri Aho (bass) and Emilio Jones (drums) supply the modern edge to the music, tightly coordinated in all their moves. The songs are also lifted by outstanding singing, both lead from Hentilä and backing from the other three. So maybe the Giant is the specter of cheesy rock past, and Kick the Giant wants to kick it into the present with a jolt of imagination and talent. In any case, Presence should find fans among those who grew up on 80s hair metal and retain some nostalgia for it, and for those like me who can appreciate good musicianship, taste, and a sly smile.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Kick the Giant

More info
http://kickthegiant.bandcamp.com/album/presence

 

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