There are surprises arising every single day from the Metal and Hard Rock scenes worldwide, but no one can follow every name. It’s a matter of lucky to getting in touch with some new releases of new fine names, because the flood of works is hard to anyone to deal with. But if you’re into Hard Rock, you must pay attention to “New Worlds”, the 5-tracks EP of the Finnish quartet JO BELOW. The quartet brings that old and good formula of Hard Rock (plenty of Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll influences, filled with excellent melodies, but thunderous and heavy) of the 70s, but done with a personal form.

It’s not technically overloaded, but focused on being heavy and melodic, full of groove inherited from Blues and Boogie, with excellent instrumental sheath and charming melodic vocals. Of course, the quartet shows some edges that needed to be sharpened in the future, but no can deny their musical value. One unexpected thing: altough the quartet evaded to put multi-digital layers and corrections on the sonority (so it means that they searched for something simple and organic), it’s clear that they have no interest on doing something moldy and old-fashioned. And the result is a thunderous and nervous sonority that brings the best of their music out for everyone to understand it.

“Broken Promises” is a heavy and thunderous Hard Rock based on contrasts between heavier parts and melancholic moments (always driven by excellent bluesy-guitar riffs), while “Forever Mine” keeps things into such way (with ‘zeppelian’ arrangements on the guitars, but with heavy parts from bass guitar and drums). And what is offered on “Who Are You” is amazing: a song based on acoustic chords and excellent melodies, with refined vocals. On “Life on the Line”, the brings an 80s hard Rock feeling, with excellent melodic touches, and “The Unknown” follows the same way, bringing into their music some Country Rock influences.

After the sharpening written above, one can be sure: JO BELOW will arise as a titan for the world to see. But now, “New Worlds” is really a very good release.