Review: ZENITH REUNION “Utopia” (2012)

Artist – Zenith Reunion
Album – Utopia
Label – Violent Journey Records
Release Date – April 25, 2012

1. Can’t feel the pain
2. Naked boy
3. Dust
4. Gone forever
5. FF
6. Victim of time
7. Truth inside
8. Darkness fall
9. Utopia

Northern Finland band Zenith Reunion will be hitting our streets and ears hard come April 25th, with their metal combining heavy influences like that of: Stone, Tarot, Zero Nine, Accept, Dream Theater. The exceptionally beautifully pieced together guitar progressions and the overwhelming bass and drums creating itself a fort of sheer magnitudes has this band making an impression not only vocally but also musically.

With high octane progressions in ‘Can’t feel the Pain’ you are led into an almost ‘Joe Satriani’ feel and movement where the music carries these anthems deep to the point of destruction. As soon as ‘Jouni Juurikka’ starts his vocals everything changes, add to this the mixture between the backing vocals you have yourself a very catchy song. Solos beyond the average metal band putting them in lines with that of ‘Marty Friedman, Jason Becker’. ‘Naked Boy’ has a start almost too gentle with that ‘Steve Vai – Celluloid Heroes’ feel to it, with the gentle progressions of drums and bass riding this atmospheric song into its own dimension. Again the contrast between the vocalists and the music keeps you hooked to the music, and this is only song 2!
As you progress through the album you will eventually make your way to the very emotional ‘FF’ where all things that could be possible in one song become alive. With the Tapping sequence in ‘Darkness Fall’ to the standards of ‘Cacophony’ and the mixture of riffs between hard rock, metal, and blues, this has everything I could ever wish for.

Between the Blues and metal there are so many things going for this band, including the fast power-based riffs, drums to keep the body moving, high octane and beautifully played solo’s, the bass driven articulations and the overall shout out to the music world this album is ideal for those that like great rock/heavy metal.

Jouni Juurikka: Lead vocals
Jukka Uusi-Illikainen: Guitar & backing vocals
Jukka Ihme: Guitar & backing vocals
Jukka Jokikokko: Bass & backing vocals (BURNING POINT, STARGAZERY)
Ville Hanhisuanto: Drums & backing vocals
Mastered by Minerva Pappi at Finnvox

9/10

Reviewed by Dylan Raine