Reckless Love – “InVader” [Album Review]

Scandinavians have a knack, it seems, for making great popular music and this Finnish foursome are a great addition to an ever-growing list that includes such luminaries as Europe, A-Ha, Hanoi Rocks, Roxette, Snowstorm and Amaranthe.

Describing their hard rocking music as “Merry Metal,” there is certainly a good-time ‘party’ vibe to this band’s delightfully retro sound, a sound that four albums in owes much to the often unfairly-maligned glam metal scene of the late 1980s (oh, how I miss that sound).

Getting album number four underway is “We Are the Weekend,” a song that, as the title suggests, celebrates the fun to be had at the end of the working week. The anthemic vibe continues with “Hands,” the kind of tune that deserves to be heard in a stadium.

Even better is “Monster,” an outstanding, down ‘n’ dirty snarling sleazefest that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Steel Panther album. Some might call it cheesy, but that’s one of the reasons why I loved it. Surprisingly, “Child of the Sun” is more of an ’80s electronic dance track, though it’s still quite enjoyable.

As one might expect from a group whose music at times recalls the likes of Motley Crue and Poison (lead singer Olli Herman also has that long-haired, big-lipped Vince Neil/Bret Michaels look), there is a song about the ladies. It’s called “Scandinavian Girls” and it has a very catchy melody.

Among the remaining tracks, “Pretty Boy Swagger,” “Rock It” and the Bon Jovi-ish “Destiny” are further reminders of what these Finns are capable of. “Keep It Up All Night” is brilliant too and has the kind of title I’d like to see them write more often.

When firing on all cylinders, this feisty quartet evoke all that was good about ’80s ‘hair metal,’ although to be honest, I would have received with almost uncontrollable ecstasy an album where all 11 songs were as instantly satisfying as “Monster.”

Track Listing:

01. We Are The Weekend
02. Hands
03. Monster
04. Child Of The Sun
05. Bullettime
06. Scandinavian Girls
07. Pretty Boy Swagger
08. Rock It
09. Destiny
10. Let’s Get Cracking (Thwp)
11. Keep It Up All Night

Run Time:
Release Date: March 4, 2016

Check out the track “Monster” here.