Flat Earth

None For One

Finnish quartet’s lavishly produced debut. Niclas Etelavouri’s departure from melodic deathmetallers Amorphis in 2017 after 17 years may have been acrimonious, but the bassist wasted no time in putting together a new band. Mikko ‘Linde’ Lindstrom, once of HIM, joined on guitar, before HIM drummer Mika ‘Gas Lipstick’ Karppinen and Polanski singer Anttoni ‘Anthony’ Pikkarainen completed what is, by any Finnish yardstick, a supergroup. There’s no reinventing of the wheel here, but also there’s little rehashing of pasts on a wind tunnel of a mainstream rock record. A change of pace from frenetic wouldn’t have gone amiss, but there’s a King’s X-style depth and drive to Blame and the outstanding Cyanide, while Pikkarainen’s anguish-laden vocals, layered as relentlessly as a Mutt Lange production, separate them from the herd.

John aizlewood