In judging side-projects it is often a good idea to apply somewhat less stringent criteria than might be applied to a full-time band. Warmen is the fourth solo album to appear from Janne Warman of Children Of Bodom fame, and, as with many side-projects, it carries with it a huge sense of fun.
First track ‘Japanese hospitality’ is an instrumental track boasting powerful guitar work from Antti Warman and a keyboard sound which, while understandably high in the mix, doesn’t overpower the other talents on display. The track is reminiscent of Dream Theater when that band isn’t trying to ‘out-metal’ Metallica, and sets the tone nicely. The second track ‘eye of the storm’ demands a touch more patience from the listener as it catapults you straight back to the eighties with vocals courtesy of Timo Kotipelto that recall ‘eye of the tiger’ more than the frantic shred-fests you might expect from a member of COB. Things take a slightly heavier turn with ‘goodbye’ featuring vocals from Jonna Kosonen, an actress and pop singer, who gives the song a touch of pop class.
Next up is ‘My fallen angel’ which is pure power metal, complete with fret-board-bothering guitar passages and a thunderous vocal from Pasi Rantanen of Thunderstone. It’s one of the better tracks on the album and highlights the talent within the band. ‘Don’t bring her here’ is another pop track featuring Kosonen, and while it’s pleasing enough, it’s ultimately a bit lightweight for most metal fans. Nonetheless Kosonen has a good voice, and the track feels rather like a cheeky nod to the female fronted hair metal bands of the 80s and it quickly gives way to ‘High heels on cobble stone’ which features COB’s own Alexi Laiho and is thus the closest to Janne Warman’s day job. It’s a standout track and blisters where other tracks are more inclined to steam. ‘Switcharoo’ is an instrumental track that demonstrates Warman’s ability on keyboards, but offers little in the way of excitement, coming across as more of an excuse to solo madly.
More surprising is the cover of Janet Jackson’s black cat, which is something of a guilty pleasure, and once again features the vocal talents of Kosonen. Adding an undeniable metal surge to the pop hooks of the original proves to be a master stroke and it is one of the more successful pop-influenced tracks on here. ‘Unconditional confession’ (featuring Marko Vaara from Tunnelvision) slows the tempo somewhat, and is somewhere between Pink Floyd prog and Tears for fears pop, it’s a strange mix that works well, and Marko’s voice is a highlight. Final track ‘Separate ways’ sees Rantanen return to the mic for this cover of the Journey classic. It’s skilfully done and closes the album well.
How much you like this album is going to very much depend upon how you feel about eighties metal, for that is the overriding feel of the record. It is also quite disjointed, with different tracks more often than not sounding like different bands, not least because each track is tailored towards its vocalist in the way the ‘Roadrunner Allstars’ album was. Overall it’s certainly not a failure. There’s a sense of fun that pervades throughout, and the musicians are all first class in their respected fields. If there was ever an album that cried out for you to grab a beer, crack a smile and chill out with your friends while listening, then this is it – just don’t expect a death metal master-class in the manner of COB, for that road leads to disappointment. Worth checking out, but not essential.
