STONE „No anaesthesia!”

Country: Finland
Genre: thrash/speed metal
Check out: Sweet dreams , Empty Corner
Band website: http://www.myspace.com/noanaesthesia
Album has been re-issued in 2003.

First of all STOME is a bit unknown band and even the fact that Roope Latvala (now from CHILDREN OF BODOM) was playing there doesnt make band more known to any thrash metaller.
This cd is one of the best examples of how the US BAY AREA thrash metal can sound in… Finland! Yes you've heard Finnish thrash metallers playing bay area thrash metal! Can it be? Of course!
No Anaesthesia is the third full-lenght album of Finnish metallers full of personal lyrics and pure emotions, how it sounds?

HEATHEN, FORBIDDEN and sometime WATCHTOWER… yeah those 3 I think are best to compare with Stone with a big influence of HEATHEN (especially in guitarwork). Music presented by STONE is a very good mix of Finnish melodies, bay area riffing and fast/mid-tempo drumming.
I said finnish melodies? Yeah I'm right cause Fin have their own skill of writing very catchy and groov'y melodies which are simply awesome.

Quite impressive for 1989, sometimes epic, and very clean? Drums are front mixed and that's the way I feel, I love the pure drum sound and bassdrum work of Pekka Kasari, its higly recommended to hear. Guitarwork of Roope and Markku is like a response for HEATHEN's Victims of Deception, sometimes I caught myself on thinking that Lee Altus is playing in STONE… but sometimes.

Album is not so short almost 45 minutes of thrash metal focused on melodies and strong rhythm, beginning of the album is an intro FINLANDIA which I think is unnecessary. Straight shot between eyes of listener is the first track on the album Sweet Dreams, fast and harsch song with a pure refrain and METALLICA style solos, very good opener. One of the highlights of the whole album is the singing style of Janne, his voice is low pitched and more harsch and heavy sometimes he sounds like a concrete (?) hah. Nex track Empty Corner is like a worship to DEATH and FORBIDDEN, awesome drums of Pekka, and the DEATH oriented guitarwork of Roope brings this number on the pole position. Back to the stone age or No Anesthesia! are songs which require more focusing on them cause they're the longest tracks on the album, and they're the most technical songs, fast and furious solos chorus of No Anesthesia is very frapping… even scaring and it's once more time a tribute to HEATHEN.

Next songs are maybe not the best to adjust them as a higlights but they are impressive as a young band these 4 guys were like a phenomenon in scandinavian black/death metal scene.

I dont understand the Kill the dead song or a pause whatever… its like a joke. A blast and quick solo… 10 seconds of nothing… shame, real shame.

Frankly I can say that this album is very underrated maybe not the best of European thrash metal scene, but very characteristic and memorable. If you like bay area thrash and you dont want to wait for new TESTAMENT or MEGADETH album try this, it works!

note: 8

Tracklist

1. Finlandia 00:53
2. Sweet Dreams 04:41
3. Empty Corner 06:21
4. Back to the Stone Age 06:57
5. Concrete Malformation 03:37
6. No Anaesthesia 10:33
7. Light Entertainment (Good Old Times) 05:17
8. Kill the Dead 00:10
9. Meat Mincing Machine 06:13

Line-up

Janne Joutsenniemi – vocals, bass (Suburban Tribe)
Roope Latvala – guitar (Children of Bodom, Dementia (Fin), Latvala Bros, Nomicon, Sinergy, Walhalla (Fin), Waltari, Warmen, ex-Soulgrind (Fin) – as Trooper)
Markku Niiranen – guitar (Airdash, Corporal Punishment (Fin))
Pekka Kasari – drums (ex-Amorphis, ex-Ajattara, Road Crew, Pahuuden Prototyyppi)