Album review overview: Per Gessle, The Halo Effect and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
The Halo Effect – March Of The Unheard
Like a thunderstorm battering the Swedish coastline, The Halo Effect’s new album “March Of The Unheard” storms through your speakers. This supergroup, composed of veterans from the legendary Gothenburg scene, proves that the melodic death metal they helped pioneer is still alive. The chemistry between guitarists Niclas Engelin and Jesper Strömblad is palpable in every riff, while Mikael Stanne’s distinctive growl perfectly conveys both rage and melancholy. The self-produced album is crystal clear without feeling sterile. The rhythm section of Peter Iwers and Daniel Svensson provides a steel foundation for the melodic elements to shine. Tracks like “Detonate” demonstrate that extreme metal and accessibility are not mutually exclusive. This album is special because it reinterprets the essence of the Gothenburg sound without succumbing to nostalgia. It strikes a masterful balance between raw power and subtle melodic layers, between technical precision and raw energy. “March Of The Unheard” is not merely a tribute to the past but a fiery reaffirmation of why these musicians once turned the metal world upside down. (Jan Vranken) (8/10) (Nuclear Blast)
Otis Kane – Violet
With his third album, “Violet,” producer-turned-artist Otis Kane walks through the shadowy corridors of vintage R&B, where echoes of Motown and ’90s soul meet in a nostalgic twilight. Kane’s production background shines through in every aspect of these twelve tracks—from the meticulously layered arrangements to the polished vocal productions that dress his voice like a tailored suit of digital silk. The album reaches an emotional peak with “Breathe,” where lush backing vocals build a bridge to the Motown legacy, while the duet “Honey” with Sugar Joans feels like a lost Mariah Carey track from her glory days—both a blessing and a curse. Kane’s vocals, while technically adept, sometimes drown in overproduction, masking his natural talent with studio artifice. “Violet” feels like a time capsule opened two decades too late. In the ’90s, this album might have been overshadowed by R&B giants; today, it is a well-crafted but dated homage to a golden era. It’s craftsmanship yearning for originality, nostalgia seeking relevance in a world that has moved on. (Elodie Renard) (7/10) (Nettwerk Music Group)
Ethel Cain – Perverts
Like a gothic cathedral rising from a swamp of trauma, “Perverts,” Ethel Cain’s second album, emerges. These nine tracks, spanning a claustrophobic ninety minutes, form a harrowing pilgrimage through the darkest recesses of the human psyche. The production, steeped in a disorienting vintage patina, creates a sonic landscape reminiscent of an abandoned haunted house where old wounds echo through dusty corridors. The opening track, a twelve-minute exercise in atmospheric terror complete with laboured breathing and industrial ambient sounds, serves more as a listener filter than a musical introduction. Even when Cain’s voice finally cuts through the fog in “Punishment,” the suffocating tension remains in every chord. Her vocals, technically impressive and emotionally charged, navigate a labyrinth of personal demons. “Onanist,” despite its provocative title, turns even the most intimate human moment into an exercise in existential dread. This is not an album that seeks accessibility or entertainment; it is a raw, unfiltered document of an artist exorcising her traumas through sound. For most listeners, it will be a burden too heavy to bear. (Jan Vranken) (3/10) (Daughter of Cain Records)
Per Gessle – The Per Gessle Archives – The Lonely Boys Demo Sessions
Like a time capsule from 1995, Per Gessle’s “The Lonely Boys Demo Sessions” opens a window into an alternate musical history where Roxette’s golden years never ended. These seven tracks are a treasure trove of unpolished gems, each bearing the unmistakable shine of Gessle’s masterful pop alchemy. The heart of this collection beats strongest in “Keep The Radio On,” a track that crystallizes the essence of Roxette’s magic in three minutes of pure pop ecstasy. The signature Rickenbacker guitar cuts through the mix like a knife through butter, while the melody lodges itself in your memory like an old friend who never truly left. If Marie Fredriksson’s voice had crowned this composition, it would undoubtedly have been another jewel in Roxette’s crown of global hits. These demos, radiant in their raw honesty, are more than archaeological finds—they are a celebration of the craftsmanship behind the hit factory. Gessle proves here that even his sketches possess the irresistible energy that lit up millions of radios in the ’90s. The only disappointment is that there are only seven of these gems—this treasure chest could have been fuller. (Anton Dupont) (7/10) (Elevator Entertainment AB)
Daniela Alfinito – Blick Nach Vorn
With the subtlety of an après-ski party at three in the afternoon, Daniela Alfinito’s latest schlager spectacle, “Blick Nach Vorn,” barrels through the speakers. As the daughter of Amigos frontman Bernd Ulrich, she has mastered the family recipe for musical fondue: melt a synthesizer, an unrelenting drum machine, and a generous helping of joie de vivre into a steaming pot of digital cheer. Over fifteen tracks, Alfinito pours her heartbreak and zest for life into a format as predictable as the annual ski holiday. Every four-on-the-floor beat is an invitation to collective euphoria, while the electronic arrangements sound like a MIDI file that’s had a shot of Jägermeister. The highlight is undoubtedly “Glühwürmchen,” a track that wears its title with as much grace as a skier’s first après-ski drink. This is not an album to convert music historians or keep critics awake at night. It’s entertainment in its purest form, meant to be consumed between the last run of the day and the first beer. As a soundtrack for snowbound hedonism, “Blick Nach Vorn” scores a solid six—but once the ski lift closes, the CD can be safely left in the digital lodge. (Jan Vranken) (6/10) (Teleamo Musik)
