HUMAN TEMPLE's new release is - for my taste - what SUNSTORM's album was last year: a pleasant surprise, full of nice catchy melodies and Hard Rock attitude that blows everything out! Two bands who have special skills and both are the new experts in melodic Hard Rock. Murder Of Crows is the title of HUMAN TEMPLE's second effort. The band comes from Finland and if you watch closer their logo you will definitely understand what this album is about.

The four piece group from the land of the lakes has set high standards from the beginning with the previous album Insomnia; so, the whole listening of the new stuff is really enjoyable, tripping, carrying the scent of summer and will be repeated through 2010 many times for sure. Murder Of Crows contains ten energetic tracks with melodic hooks and a pure feeling; ingredients that will easily remind you of the golden era of tremendous groups like EUROPE and DOKKEN.

From the beginning of the CD, Not My Fault can put you in the right mood: the inspiring chorus is able to stick to your mind for days and the tuneful aura will 'trap' you from the first two minutes just like the following Just One Night does. The vocals remind me something between Joe Lynn Turner and Joey Tempest's tone, whereas the keyboards are in the middle of VAN HALEN's and JOURNEY's musical structure, a fact that you can clearly notice in Lie. I believe, though, that the breath taker of the album is the ensuing Ghost Of You: a pure AOR song with a strong chorus and an absolutely melodic reading that fulfills all the expectations for fans of this genre.

Murder Of Crows has all the components to be an all time classic album for the melodic Hard Rock scene (another reason why we love Finland) and, for that, is strongly recommended. Don't let the crows on the cover scare you...