Emblazed – Baptized
Emblazed is a Finnish Heavy Metal band formed in 2017. They’ve spent five years working on their sound and getting to the root of who they are as a group. In early 2022, they released the first part of that journey, the four-song EP, Baptized. There is a melodic feel to the record, with bits of techno scattered in via the keyboards, all of which blend together to create a tempered heaviness reminiscent of bands like HIM and Amorphis, putting Emblazed in great company.
https://emblazed-band.webnode.fi/
January 4, 2022
Band Members:
- Ville – Guitars/Vocals
- Antti – Guitars
- Ville H. – Bass
- Toni – Drums
Tracklist:
- Baptized By Fear
- Discovery
- My Amore
- Taking A Chance
The EP starts with “Baptized By Fear,” the only song under four minutes. A nice melodic guitar intro sets the pace for the rest of the song. Guitars are nicely paced through the riff, and the lead work is good and well-placed to accentuate the shifts from verse to chorus. The keyboards are used sparingly, augmenting sections with a bit of extra sound to broaden the tone. The vocals are clean, the bass is rock-solid, and the drums are beautifully placed in the rhythm, occasionally stepping out front with a fill.
“Discovery” comes in heavier on the keys, going for more of a synth-driven sound through the intro. Ville’s vocal range is deceptive because he stays in his lower register quite a bit, but when he breaks out, his tone is really good. The notes he hits sound effortless, free, and steady. There is no undue force that makes it sound strained or manufactured. It fits the tune very well and contrasts some of the gritty sounds later in the song. This track sounds very different than the first, but there is no doubt it’s the same band. They work together as part of the range Emblazed possesses.
Again, we get a melodic intro, but this time, that phrase carries on through the first few bars of the guitar riff, overlapping until there is a drop for the first verse. Here, the keys play a more significant role, adding ambiance to the song before the heavy chorus kicks in. The original melodic phrase gets repeated, only heavier in the midsection. The shifts from ethereal, keyboard-driven rock to the richer, almost Power Metal, guitar segments is quite the contrast. It’s really well written and played, striking just the right chord.
The EP concludes with the Pop influenced “Taking A Chance.” The keys on this one have an 80s New Wave feel with a more Hard Rock tempo. This song has various influences, ranging from old to new and Rock to Metal. It is truly impressive how broad the sound on this one is.
Emblazed is not a band you can fit into one simple niche or genre. Instead, they cover a lot of ground, all equally well. They can go where they want and do whatever they feel like. It would be interesting to hear a list of their musical influences. I would bet you get a really eclectic answer with different bands in each member’s mind, but I’d also bet there are a lot of similarities, which is how they get to this sound and make it sound and feel so natural. This is a quick listen, making it easy to get through it a few times in a row, helping you to catch all of the nuances in each song individually.
MZ Ratings:
- Musicianship
- Guitars – 9
- Rhythms – 9
- Vocals – 9
- Songwriting – 8
- Production – 8
- Overall – 8.60
