GUNS OF GLORY – Strafing Run (Album Review)

Attracted by the label of Hard Rock and by the album cover, I gave some time to Guns of Glory and Strafing Run. The album from the Finnish Quartet is available on September 9, 2016, from Pure Rock Records. The band formed in 2010 on the idea of four hard boiled metalheads and rock n’ roll bums wanting to unite their musical skills. Calling Lappeenranta, Finland as their home base this squadron is comprised of Petri Puheloinen (vocals/bass), Joni Takalo (drums), Riku Lepistö (guitars) and Oskari Hurskainen (guitars).

After issuing a demo in 2011, Guns of Glory teamed up with Pure Rock Records. The debut full-length album, On the Way to Sin City, came in 2013 garnering some great reviews. And now Strafing Run drops in September 2016.

Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons (according to Wikipedia).

Citing influences such as Nashville Pussy, AC/DC, Krokus and Rose Tattoo, Guns of Glory‘s Strafing Run pays homage to all those and more. The album opens in fine fashion with the fast-paced AC/DC reminiscent “Running From You”. I found tracks like to “Till We Die” to invoke their best Motorhead-ish likenesses for example. A good barn busting party anthem in “Move Aside” while “Avenger” has a wicked bluesy guitar solo. These tracks are awesome out of the gates hard rock.

While I don’t personally like the song, “Don’t You Know” has a ballady, almost country feel infused into it. The bluesy “Days in the Chain Gang” seems rather lacklustre to me. And “Bad Boy Reputation” is full of juvenile immature lyrics.

Unfortunately, after several spins of Strafing Run, the same result always occurred. It all blends into the background for me. While there are differences, it’s just too similar for the whole 12 tracks. Perhaps shortening the length to 9 or 10 of the strongest ones would have held my attention longer. I found that if you break it up into a mix rather than play all 12 tracks in one after the other succession they come out much better.