Flat Earth—None for One (2018)

Details

Produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa. Recorded at Finnvox Studios. Released on Drakkar Entertainment on Friday 9 November 2018

Band

Anttoni Pikkarainen—Vocals
Mikko “Linde” Lindström—Guitar
Niclas Etelävuori—Bass
Mika “Gas Lipstick” Karppinen—Drums

Tracks

Subhuman
Blame
Given time
Cyanide
None for one
The glow
Noble swine
Limelight
Freedom
Blunt
Kill my god

Review

None for One (2018) is the debut album from Flat Earth, a band that unites Mikko Lindström and Mika Karppinen (both ex-HIM), Niclas Etelävuori (ex-Amorphis) and Anttoni “Anthony” Pikkarainen (Polanski).

Once again, this is an album that got lost at the bottom of my review backlog, from the year that my life quite dramatically blew up. I suspect that the reason I kept it was because of the HIM and Amorphis connections—which is odd, because I’ve never listened to either… but perhaps that was the attraction. And I do enjoy a good chunk of alternative rock.

Seemingly, Flat Earth’s creative vision was to combine “the heyday of alternative rock” with a variety of other heavy genres and “a pinch of wistful psychedelia”. I think they did a pretty good job. This feels like Garbage meets Muse, The Smashing Pumpkins meets Bob Mould, Foo Fighters meets Ghost. Heavy music woven through with catchy melodies. There are even hints of traditional folk melodies glimpsing through the rock-driven riffs—like heavy Abba!

According to the press release, “Karppinen and Etelävuori’s robust yet subtle rhythmic dynamic work, pave the perfect runway for Linde’s guitar solos to freewheel and Anthony’s maudlin yet contemplative singing that gives the band’s sound a tint of mawkish desperation [… and] passionately melancholic overtones”.

I think that’s fair. The whole album is both infectiously melodic and playful while maintaining a slightly maudlin edge. It’s like wearing smart casual to a funeral on a summer’s day.

Conclusion

This has been a fun discovery, and I’m just sorry that I didn’t unearth it sooner … mind you, 2018 really was my annus horribilis. This is an album packed with character—heavy, melodic, melancholic and playful wrapped in one. I’m sure this album would bring a smile even on the darkest day.

Review score: 85%

Video

Disclosure

BJF Media/PR contacted me inviting me to preview Flat Earth forthcoming album, thank you. I have no connections to either BJF Media/PR or Flat Earth. I’m not being paid to review this, but I did get a free digital copy of the album to review which is pretty cool. Many thanks to Judith from BJF Media/PR, and to Flat Earth for continuing to create fresh, exciting new music.