MUSIC REVIEW: Moon Shot - “The Power”
To tell you the truth, I don’t know a whole lot about Moon Shot, beyond the fact that that’s where Children of Bodom’s former bassist, Henkka T. Blacksmith, had gone after they disbanded, having joined forces with Ville Malja (vocals, Lapko), Jussi Ylikoski (guitars), and Mikko Hakila (drums, Disco Ensemble). I think I had listened to their first album and it didn’t much suit my taste at the time, but the name lingered in my mind, so I figured I’d give the album a spin and see if this one sticks with me a bit better. “The Power” is set for release via Reaper Entertainment on April 26th, 2024.
This next paragraph is dedicated to my history with the band, so that you can compare your taste against mine. If you’re not interested, feel free to skip past this paragraph and head down to the review in proper!
So, it’s worth mentioning that my biggest issue with Moon Shot’s debut, “Confession” (2021), was the vocals. It’s not that Ville can’t sing, it’s just a style that rubs my ears the wrong way. Pairing that with the general pop-rock sound, it just didn’t suit my taste well enough to make a mark. Ultimately, my immediate response to this album was distaste for the vocal sound once again, but I did notice that, by the end of my first listen-through, I had more or less stopped being bothered by it and was able to start listening to the music and appreciating it more. As such, I decided to commit to giving it an honest review, regardless of whether I like the vocalist’s style.
On the whole, I find myself a bit torn on how I feel about this album. My issue with the vocal sound is that it’s really quivery, whispery, emo at times, and sometimes edges towards seductive whispers or mild constipation, so I know that there are a lot of people out there who absolutely love that style and it’s a personal problem for me, so by all means, take my thoughts with a grain of salt. It may not be my favorite vocal sound but it does actually fit in with the music they’re making, so it’s really just a matter of personal taste. The fact that the music has a pop-rock sound with a bit of ‘90s alternative music can draw back to some really positive nostalgia, so it’s worth giving a (moon) shot, hurr hurr.
Now, if the vocals are the hardest sell for me, the flipside of that is that the biggest lure of this album: the guitar sound. From the very beginning with “Life Is a Killer” all the way down to “1800 Nights,” the guitar work is the album’s absolute highlight. It was interesting then, that when I was looking up the band’s line-up, Jussi Ylikoski was the only one who was listed without another band associated with him. Perhaps they picked up a hidden gem then, as he was what brought me back to listen to the album a few more times.
That said, one of the first things I pay attention to in music, always, is the low-end, because I think too many artists make the mistake of treating the rhythm section like a beat machine and don’t put enough oomph or effort into the bass lines and drum fills. This album doesn’t have basic disco drums, but I’m also not getting much standing out there either. With awesome guitar lines, Moon Shot might benefit from a little more oomph in the bass and drums, so as not to sound too much like basic commercial rock à la Nickelback.
Now, re: the album itself, “Life Is a Killer” is a solid, energetic, catchy piece that works well to start off the album with a bit of empathy and is probably one of my personal favorites. “Blackened Spiral” has a strong anti-war empowerment anthem feel, while the title track has peppy drums and a music video that shows off people engaging in activities that feel powerful, like dancing or boxing (also… is that Herra Ylppö of Mai Karma that I see in the video?)—it is indeed a pretty danceable song. By the time we hit the title track, it feels like “the power” is both the theme, but could also have a subheading underneath—“The Power: Empowerment Anthems for the Modern Age,” as that’s what the album feels like, as a whole package.
“Arms Around Me” could be closer to a catchy, uplifting love song, though I think there are multiple ways of interpreting the lyrics, with the possibility to invoke a lot of different feelings. “Shadow Boxer” has a bit of a lighter, poppier feel, melodic with quivering vocals, while “Yes!” is an anthemic anti-conflict song that I can see having a polarizing response from people due to its extremely radio-friendly, American sound. Stylish guitar lines open up “Rise Faster,” while a catchy, poppy beat takes the lead in “Stars Are Holes,” which has somewhat cheesy lyrics and a suggestion that gave me pause to ponder for a while: “stars are holes where light shines through.” Not scientifically true, but an interesting thought… which led to me thinking about superstars aka celebrities, and I thought it would be fun if this song was actually saying that celebrities should be people who bring light to the world and not… well, whatever it is that celebrities do these days? I guess make money and get progressively more insane in the public eye?
“Supercharged Love” has very intriguing opening instrumentals and one of the most solid musical progressions, as well as some of the least off-putting vocals, while “Deep Hole” distinctly feels like the climactic rise before the album’s final track, with punchy guitar work and some of the best vocals on the album. Then, things wrap up with “1800 Nights,” this feels like the softer wrap-up to draw things to a closer, with a slower tempo and gentle melody and the softer vocals suit the song just right. It’s a very solid and conclusive way to wrap up the release.
Now, there’s an interesting little story in here, because the second time I listened to this album was the same day I heard about the recent school shooting in Vantaa. Finland fortunately has only had a handful of shootings of this type, but it was a devastating thing… the child was only something like 12 years old. Knowing that had just happened, hearing the song “Yes!” felt very evocative, because it talks about pulling fingers away from triggers. Surely, they were probably referencing wars, but it also made me think about the state of America and our reliance on guns in general, on an individual level as well as on the international scale (looking at you, Israeli genocide). There’s something to be said for these types of songs that tell people that stopping violence can be a good thing if we let it.
If I’m thinking of other artists, I feel like I want to plant Moon Shot somewhere between U2 and 30 Seconds to Mars, in that there’s some of that classic alternative rock from the ‘90s with varyingly deep and cheesy lyrics, not unlike U2, but with some of that modern, melodic, at times whiny pop/metalcore sound as well. It creates an interesting mix that I found very off-putting at first, but grew to enjoy it the more I listened to it. Now, cheesy lyrics have to work hard to get me to like them already, but I did at least appreciate a lot of the subjects that they were talking about. Ultimately, if you’re on the side of making the world a better place, I’m on the side of giving a thumbs up to your music, regardless of whether it suits my unique taste. And in the end, I think I do kind of like it. Cheesy, yeah, but sometimes we need something fresh and cheesy to get people’s attention and get them listening.
On the whole, if you’re looking for something upbeat, fresh, and catchy, with a positive message that wants to make the world a better place, don’t write off Moon Shot’s “The Power,” it might be just what you need to perk up your spring. Admittedly, I feel like this music would work better in America than in Finland, as the US is generally less critical of this style than heavy metal Finland is, but maybe that’s their goal? Either way, I’m just happy to hear people speaking out against the atrocities happening around the world!
Tracklist
Life Is a Killer
Blackened Spiral
The Power
Arms Around Me
Shadow Boxer
Yes!
Ride Faster
Stars Are Holes
Supercharged Love
Deep Hood
1800 Nights
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