It's got to be a challenge when you've founded a band in 2003 and it's taken 11 years for the right lineup of musicians to take shape and release your debut full length album. For guitarist Peter Seger he certainly lives up to the adage 'where there's a will there's always a way'. ENDED from Sweden are a quartet that display an adequate knowledge of the classic Hard Rock style with slight Melodic Metal touches for the 10 song record "About to Fall".

After a few passes through my ears, songs like "Sing for Me", the energetic "Supernova", and closing power ballad "Visit by Wormwood" have some interesting qualities that intertwine GREAT WHITE, KING'S X, and classic 70's hard rock from the heartland of North America. Guitarist Lars Grannat also doubles up on vocal duties, and he employs a wide range of approaches in his voice- reflective and soft for "Littleboy", a little more expressive and sustaining more of higher range on "What Have You Done".

ENDED isn't lacking anything in terms of personal instrumental ability - as I'm most impressed by the rhythm section of bassist Björn Grannat and drummer David Källberg who both sustain a solid groove ethic throughout this 45 minute album. The overall struggle to gain full appreciation lies in their choice of riffs and hooks - a lot of this material just has a ho hum, middle of the road feeling that doesn't create much energy or excitement from one song to the next. Half way through the album on "Where Two Paths Collide" there just seems to be an awkward chord progression from bridge to chorus that made my mind wander and never really recover from.

My suggestion for ENDED on the next record is to really go through the songwriting with a fine tooth comb, and create stronger melodic hooks - because this type of hard rock isn't rocket science, and if they want to rise up the ranks they'll need better material to compete with the big boys.