Something For All
It was twelve years ago that Finland’s Trusties came to be. Originally taking the form of an acoustic three piece, the band have evolved somewhat over the years progressing from vocals (Matti Ylilauri), guitar (Marko ‘Oikku’ Oikarinen) and bass (Ville Veijalainen) to the line up that we have today that has expanded and gained a louder, more aggressive sound thanks to the inclusion of the drums (Janne Ervelius) and extra guitar/keys (Ari ‘Suti’ Sutinen). And whilst the band have already released two previous offerings, it is only now with their third album, ‘Human Wheel’ that we get to hear five members of the band on a studio recording. Was twelve years worth the wait?
As far as concept albums go, ‘Human Wheel’ has certainly taken the idea to new levels offering not only a futuristic tale masked in a sense of sci-fi but also snuck in hints of foreboding and prophecy for us all to learn from, resulting in a feeling of tense bleak cynicism that shrouds the album in darkness. ‘Human Wheel’ is basically the story of a ‘test subject’ who has to travel on the ‘human wheel’, destined to watch history constantly repeating itself and therefore getting a first hand view of the brutality of humanity allowing the Finnish band to capture the hopeless despair and harshness of the situation perfectly. Album opener, ‘Radiobeings’ sets the scene with an atmospheric rush that swells and swirls, depicting a idea of futility and isolated loneliness within its 9 and a half minutes as the grand beginning of the track melts away to reveal a vulnerability that draws you ever further into Trusties world. With exemplary musicianship, Trusties are a band that is hard to beat, effortlessly able to create a vibrant soundscape such as on ‘When Sense Meets Its maker’ and ‘Them Or Us’ that engulfs with its theatrics until you are powerless, destined to go on Trusties musical journey with them amid a wave of intricate guitars that will excite and amaze in equal measure.
Wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves, Trusties have taken a little of Rush, a touch of Dream Theater and even a healthy dose of Megadeth and moulded it all into their own special blend of progressive rock. Sure, it may not be as overly heavy, it may not charge around with fret work so quick you miss it, but instead ‘Human Wheel’ is graceful, allowing every intricate drum beat, every complex guitar riff to truly shine for all to appreciate be you a true prog-rock follower or merely an occasional listener. True, those who worship at the prog alter will probably gain the most from the band’s latest offering but there is still something within ‘Human Wheel’ to amaze all music fans. Forget what you thought you knew about progressive rock and open your minds to the world of Trusties.