SPEARFISH – Area 605

Apparently Spearfish from Sweden have been impressing the crowds with their live performances, which by listening to their latest release, Area 605, is easy to understand, especially if those shows have taken place outdoors in the sun. Outdoor festival sounds like a perfect place for Spearfish’s airy and breezy Prog-influenced Hard Rock. Listening to them indoors from a two-speaker stereo system, while the sun is blazing outside, does not quite have the same impact, and some of the rough edges start to rear their heads.

Spearfish, just like their influences Rush and Cream, is a three-piece band where the vocals are handled by the bass player (Thomas Thulin). Despite being a three-piece band, Spearfish could still be a bit tighter. They could definitely cut out some of the air from their songs and make them more compact, as most of their songs tend to be a bit on the long side. Adding a “touch of dirt” would make the over polished jam sessions more captivating.

The best that the band amounts to is that kiss of death word in relationshipland … “nice.” Not amazing or particularly memorable … but nice. The only thing that could possible rattle listeners’ feathers is Thulin’s vocals, which requires some getting used to, but just like Thulin threatens in the song “Addiction”: “When will you learn that you made a choice/Like it or not you will hear my voice.” He needs to be heard first before the decision of where your vote lies can be made.

Most of the songs are slow to mid-tempo, except for fast tempo songs, the album opener “Fate” and “Empty Eyes”, where they really hit the groove and let it roll. “Lonely Souls” shows some Zeppelin influences, and “Burning Candles,” “Reckoning,” and “All Said ‘n’ Done” all have acoustic parts in them. Those of you who get excited by Rush and the like will marvel at the laid back feel of this release, but others will most likely be fighting the yawns before it’s over. There’s even a cover of Rush’s “Limelight,” which sadly turns out to be one of the strongest tracks on the album.

Just like most ordinary things in life, Area 605 will require some effort before it can be appreciated, but most likely it will still struggle to break out of the background music league. If you like your Hard Rock easily digested, with a touch of Progressive Rock, then Spearfish should be your choice. This album is like listening to Sting for Rush-heads … a sonic tranquiliser.