In the summer of 2022, the future of the Finnish power-metal act, LEVERAGE, seemed uncertain after the untimely passing of vocalist Kimmo Blom. Lucky for us, the stars must have been aligned just right because, first, vocalist Paolo Ribaldini (DELAIN, SERAPHIEL, ex-SKILTRON) fame stepped in, and then, violinist Lotta-Maria Heiskanen joined the ranks to refresh the band’s sound beyond the standard hard-rock template. Now, it is time to hear what it sounds like as the band’s sixth album, “Gravity,” sees the light of day on June 20th, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl. Blending tradition-savvy hard rock with more contemporary heavy-metal flourishes, LEVERAGE puts a unique spin on their music, evading labels and elevating their songcraft from being a nostalgic tribute to the 1980s. The new album nicely shows that the band has garnered ample mileage, right from their 1980s-tinted hard-rock debut “Tides” (2007) to the symphonic flair of 2009’s “Circus Colossus” and then to the more refined sound of late. Considering this is a bounce-back record from a tragedy, it is no small feat that the band fires such bombastic, catchy, and good old heavy metal on all cylinders.
The game is set afoot with the high-octane riffer, “Shooting Star,” a song that mixes nice Middle-Eastern vibes and twangy spaghetti-Western guitars atop its somewhat power-metal-esque core. The result is a catchy hard-rock banger with subtle Mariachi vibes. The opener sets the tone for the whole album – LEVERAGE is all about catchy hooks, concise songwriting, and melodies – lots of melodies. I guess that’s where the album’s somewhat nostalgic feel stems from; back in the 1980s and 1990s, bands used to write strong melodies, whereas modern metal is more about atmospherics and/or the power of the almighty riff. Speaking of which, two tracks in this selection stand out as particularly vintage. “All Seeing Eye” resonates wth the aura of RAINBOW, from the era when Ronnie-James Dio was their vocalist. Yeah, you could easily put this song on your Spotify playlist right after “Stargazer” or “The Gates of Babylon.” Ribaldini has quite a forceful voice, and I reckon he’s one of those rare vocalists who could cover some of those Dio tracks and make it sound impressive. The Middle-Eastern-vibed violin solo, courtesy of Heiskanen, is pretty damn lit, too. It makes me think that the band should have perhaps given more solo slots for the violin. The other tradition-savvy banger is “King Ghidorah,” echoing some of those uptempo riffers in the DEEP PURPLE catalog. Of course, Ribaldini‘s signature belting is quite different from Ian Gillian, let alone the guitar department that comes off a tad more modern than Richie Blackmore‘s trademark licks, giving the song an identity of its own.
In fact, “Tales of the Night” is probably the most 1980s-tinted track, traversing somewhat WHITESNAKE-esque waters, except that the Middle-Eastern synth solo isn’t exactly something David Coverdale & Co would have done back in the day. Plus, to be a tribute piece, the lyrics should have had more sleazy double entendres. LEVERAGE has found their niche in crafting vintage-sounding bangers without being a mere nostalgia act. So, I guess they are kindred spirits to bands such as BROTHER FIRETRIBE and THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, to a degree at least. They aren’t necessarily the next paradigm shift in hard rock or metal but offer quite a lot of bang for the buck when it comes to highly entertaining heavy metal. When LEVERAGE gears up on those delicious, Middle-Eastern vibes in both melodies and solos, I get nice DAMNATION PLAN flashbacks, too, although the music on this album, overall, is closer to hard-rock and vintage heavy metal rather than the contemporary metal sound of those gloomy proggers.
The album closes with the bombastic title track, a 10-minute epic recalling bands such as AYREON and AVANTASIA. So, yeah – if you’re into the hard-rock and heavy-metal sound of that pastel, technicolor decade of yore but you have worn out those old classics, LEVERAGE is right down your alley – plus, their music has enough twists and turns of a more contemporary kind to keep your mind from wandering too far down the memory lane. “Gravity” is a solid piece of work that doesn’t smell of mothballs despite its vintage soul.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Shooting Star
- Tales of the Night
- Hellbound Train
- Moon of Madness
- Eliza
- All Seeing Eye
- King Ghidorah
- Gravity
Lineup
Paolo Ribaldini – vocals
Tuomas Heikkinen – guitars
Marko Niskala – keyboards
Valtteri Revonkorpi – drums
Sami Norrbacka – bass
Lotta-Maria Heiskanen – violin
Label
Frontiers Music Srl
