'Highway Queen' is a new project from Finland and their first album takes us back a few decades in a classic and direct hard rock style. Created in 2019 and led by singer 'Virpi Kääriäinen', they deliver 8 compositions for a fairly short duration for a 37-minute EP. From the start, with the heavy mid-tempo 'Hey!' (See the video above), the marked rhythm section gives you an irresistible desire to headbang on sharp guitar riffs and accompany 'Virpi Kääriäinen' in the chorus, then, the energetic 'Get On Your Knees' (see the video here) adds a layer of it and deploys new catchy melodic lines. The sequel is in the image of these first two titles with memorable melodies and, we can mention the hard rock rubbish that are the festive 'Here I Am', the fast 'I Dim The Lights' or even 'In Vain' which is the longest title of the album and which, after a quiet introduction, pours us one of the heaviest compositions of the album with a very beautiful break in the second part and a heavy and powerful finale with a very beautiful solo of guitar. We can't miss the mid-tempo of the title song either (see the video here) in a very heavy blues/rock which is a pure delight and the Finns end the album with 'Own Will' which alternates different intensities and which is certainly, with 'In Vain', the most varied title of the album with quiet sections, then heavy rhythmic passages marked and a finale in apotheosis accelerating the rhythm.
In short, even if they won't revolutionize the style, the Finns are releasing an excellent first album by delivering good hard rock that takes us back a few decades, all of this being interpreted in a beautiful way by a talented singer and musicians who bring all the necessary energy for this style of music... | |
