Review MASHEENA ‘West Coast Hard Rock’

If you take a closer look at the undergrowth of the Norwegian rock and metal scene, you will find bands that are down-to-earth and authentic. One of these bands is Masheena. The four-piece was not known to me until now, but that changed with the new album of the Norwegians.

The origins of the band can be found in 2021. Luis-Alberto Salomon, Tarjei A. Heggernes, Gerhard Herfindal and Ole Andre Farstad, those four guys are Masheena and the latter two are also known from their participation in bands like Immortal/ I and Abbath.

Even though Masheena is from Bergen, their musical direction is hard rock. The four-piece is inspired by the sound of the 70s, while grunge also plays a not insignificant role.

If you listen to the first two singles, you will notice that ‘1979’ sounds like a hybrid of Kiss and Black Sabbath, while the following ‘Under the Same Sun’ brings back memories of the great Soundgarden. On the other hand, ‘Looks Like a Man’ is much more relaxed. These first three songs of ‘West Coast Hard Rock’ deliver a good insight into what you can expect from Masheena. It is the mentioned mix of rock and grunge which is the common thread through this album.

This also includes the crashing ‘Bring Me Down’ with its classic rock influences while the following ‘5 Seconds of Fame’ bridges the gap between bands like Foo Fighters and Kyuss.

It gets acoustic with ‘Sun Remains’ before the sun goes down and makes room for ‘Remember the Rain’. The slow and droning ‘Where Are You Now’ marks the end of an album well worth listening to.

Masheena’s passion for stoner rock, grunge and hard rock reigns supreme. The four-piece manages to combine these components into a very entertaining musical output that can impress with its passionate ease of mind.