Finnish alternative rock band BAILOUT started their journey in 2010 in Kotka and the first full-length album “…As the Winds Blow On” came out in 2016. Due to different tastes in music within the band, BAILOUT are producing a stylistically-unique sound that combines catchy heavy rock with progressive rock, trumpet, and 90s metal. Quite a spicy combo, isn’t it? Now the time has come for a new chapter! On 21 February 2020 BAILOUT released their long-awaited second album called “Road to Redemption.” If you are familiar with their first album, you may have already noticed that the band was experimenting with music styles, but there is even more genre diversity the second time!
The first song, “Just a Ride,” sets the pitch for the whole album. Powerful vocals by singer Joel Vuohelainen, mesmerizing guitar solos by guitarists Simo Andersén and Teemu Uimonen, united by dynamic melodies… this is how I would describe a signature BAILOUT song. It doesn’t mean that all the songs are the same! The band mixes the above-mentioned ingredients in different proportions, spicing it up with, for instance, the sound of a trumpet or adding some melodic-metal vibes! Next comes “Ozymandias” with its lush harmonies and poignant lyrics. This powerful, yet melodious tune completely carries you away! The unpredictable melodic twists are making it truly remarkable and different. The main single, “Road to Redemption,” which gave a name to the whole album, delivers a more aggressive and energetic mood. You want to go and destroy all your enemies (or at least win something) and it’s all due to the headbanging rhythm. The drums are a big deal in this one too. If the verses remind one a bit of 90s metal and heavy rock, the chorus is definitely more on the power side and has the signature BAILOUT sound I mentioned before.
The following track, “Desert of Ecstasy,” starts with a calm intro and increases dynamics and tempo as the song continues. It has a more cheerless mood and projects different from the previous songs’ emotions, while still sounding quite epic and complex. I am sure a lot of listeners will go crazy about “1999.” This single has everything: flawless and catchy guitar riffs, pure sounding vocals, high-powered melodies, and also leans towards hard rock with a small sprinkle of power metal in it. The band keeps on delivering a strong and energizing attitude in “A Crack in the Mirror,” but the special mojo here is a trumpet solo by singer Joel Vuohelainen. The combination of a trumpet with other instruments in the end of the song brings additional charm and sounds hypnotizing! Another attention-grabber on the album is “Into the Light.” This piece stands out from the crowd and one could call it the ballad of the album. Here, power-metal meets melodic-metal with Celtic-sounding trumpet and together they create a beautifully-flowing melody. This song definitely deserves big venues and festival crowds.
With “Accelerated Evolution,” BAILOUT come back on the heavy and more aggressive-sounding side and then turn towards a melodic yet high-powered sound in “Raison D’etre.”
To conclude, BAILOUT have created an album to get lost in, which sounds both empowering and melody-driven. Each track on the album has a special purpose and tells a story. The band managed to find its own unique sound and definitely has high potential for creating a lot of great new music in the future and I am looking forward to hear what kinds of stylistic experiments BAILOUT will perform next time!
Written by Victoria Korpun
Tracklist
- Just A Ride
- Ozymandias
- Road To Redemption
- Desert to Ecstasy
- 1999
- A Crack In The Mirror
- Into The Light
- Accelerated Evolution
- Raison D’Etre
Lineup
Joel Vuohelainen – vocals, trumpet
Simo Andersén – guitars, backing vocals
Teemu Uimonen – guitars, backing vocals
Ilmari Ahlgren – bass
Label
Independent
