Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Myon - Ghost in Paradise - 2005 - Low Frequency Records

Track Listing 1. Dead of the Dawn 2. Tournament 3. The Quest 4. In Me 5. Heart of Hollywood 6. Follow the Sign 7. Nostradamus 8. Mary Celeste 9. Avenue 10. Ancient Rites Japan bonus track Rest in Peace (steel flower)

In case you were wondering what ever happened to Joey Tempest of Europe, my guess is after singing his last rendition of The Final Countdown, he migrated to Finland and was recruited by the band Myon as their new lead singer....now he calls himself Jukka Nummi. Along with Mika Pohjola, Risto Silenius, Keizo Koluikko and Matti Torro, Nummi heads up the Finnish answer to monotonous, melodic metal as he sings in the same register, a falsetto, ear canal piercing range--repeatedly ten times. The titles and tempos of the songs may change but Nummi is able to maintain the same pitch and tone causing the songs to sound repetitive. While Nummi’s vocalization is, in theory, “good”, a little of it goes a long way.

According to their website, which as a sidebar, seems to be where all of their creativity is going, “Myon are from the city of Oulu and were founded in 1995. After a few years of composing and rehearsing, Myon released their highly praised debut album “Heavens Garden” in 1998. The band toured in Finland to get more recognition and the result was the recording of the second album “Ghost in Paradise” (2002). The real result? Melt a Stryper and an Yngwie Malmstein cd, and you'll get the gist of what "Ghost in Paradise" sounds like. Technically, the musicianship is there, but the tracks sound too reminiscent of 90’s progressive metal, suggesting the band locked in on their sound eleven years ago and aren’t crafted with good hooks. The one redeeming factor is Matti Torro who manages to emerge from the cd with some impressive drum fills (1 min 57secs into track two to be precise) and the cd showcases his skilled drumming overall. Lastly, according to the band, “The new album “Slideshow” is a very fresh approach to the ever-changing face of rock music. The album has a clear and deep sound with a very professional touch and amazingly catchy songs”. Let’s hope they make good on their promise.


--Strutter 12.31.06