Review LEVERAGE “Gravity”

Alongside Helsinki, Jyväskylä is one of the Finnish metropolises when it comes to rock and metal. Leverage is a band from here that follows a more traditional direction, unlike bands like Swallow the Sun, who follow the darker aspects of metal.

Founded in 2002, the band has put out five albums, with “Above the Beyond” being their latest. The band’s future was thrown into uncertainty by a stroke of fate that befell them after the record’s release in 2021. In 2022, their singer, Kimmo Blom, passed away, and it was unclear how things would continue.

It was founding member Tuomas Heikkinen who thought that the band was not about to end, and Paolo Ribaldini has now joined as the new frontman of the Finnish melodic metal group. With him joined violist Lotta-Maria Heiskanen, and ‘Gravity’ is the first longplayer in the renewed constellation.

Drawing inspiration from the 80s and 90s, when melodies reigned supreme, Leverage have created a unique fusion of melodic metal and hard rock that is showcased on their album “Gravity”. The band’s melodic craftsmanship is exemplified by the first song on the record, “Shooting Star”. It is an ode to the ’80s without copying the sound. It is more the approach of combining melodic structures with heavier sounds. All of this is delivered with a layered perspective. This never becomes overly complex. When I listen to the songs on this album, I had to think of bands like the earlier Stratovarius.

Songs like the powerful “Hellbound Train” and the anthemic “Moon of Madness” are well-forged songs that could also could excite fans of Avantasia.

The dramatic “Eliza” leads you to the “All Seeing Eye”. The latter looks like the ballad on the album, but instead, the song is a pounding epos with a seven-minute running time. It shows the songwriting talent of the band, a talent that is also evident in the title track. ‘Gravity’ is the final song on the album, concluding this release in a spectacular fashion. It’s not the roaring start that leaves the strongest impression. Rather, it is an emotional start that defines the first half of this nine-minute landmark. The song builds in the second half, evolving into a cinematic piece driven by a passion for larger soundscapes.

The album, “Gravity”, may not be the most revolutionary release, but it showcases skillfully crafted music. You should check out Leverage’s newest effort if you like the alternation of atmospheric moments and metallic riffs. It’s an entertaining way to spend 45 minutes.