Finland's Human Temple returns with their sophomore release 'Murder of Crows'. Some may say that the long break was too long to wait for the band as their debut 'Insomnia' which to me was a damn good album. The new albums finds Human Temple serving up melodic rock course with some interesting twists that are sure to make the hairs on your arms stand up. "Not My Fault" and "Just One Night" are solid AOR melodic rock standards powered by the use of catchy riffs, harmonies and hooks. But following this, "Promised Land" proving the band has more to offer on a musical level and is not scared to do so. The track itself is a hearty blues number, it merges blues with a bit of metal heaviness and some real old school organ work to create a terrific song. Later, "Yours Cold Blooded" goes in a completely opposite direction sounding more straight ahead rock. The surprise of the lot and my personal fav is "Emily" a metal-edged, fast-paced hard rocker that was written to be sung in giant arenas. Some may dismiss this versatility as inconsistency or unfocused direction, but they would be wrong. Rather, Human Temple shows welcome creativity and strong craftsmanship. In the end, Human Temple's 'Murder of Crows' is a strong second effort from an amazing melodic rock band that is not afraid to try new things up their melodic rock sleeves. Great job!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
