warmen japanese hospitality

Released: 24 August 2009 Label: Spinefarm

Japanese Hospitality is the fourth solo album to appear from Janne Warman, the keyboardist of Finnish metallers, Children of Bodom. This side project see him team up with Antti Warman of The Scourger on guitars, Mirka Rantanen of Thunderstone on drums, Jyri Helko of For the Imperium on bass. Recorded in Warman’s Beyond Abilities studio, with guest singers Timo Kotipelto of Stratovarius, Alexi Laiho of Bodom, Jonna Kasonen and Pasi Rantanen of Thunderstone, they claim that on the album includes their heaviest and catchiest songs to date.

Starting with an instrumental the album then opens properly with Eye of the Storm, vocals duties being carried out by Timo Kotipelto in an 80s hair metal/ pop style. Catchy indeed. Jonna Kasonen adds a pop feel to the next track, Goodbye. Tracks featuring Pasi Rantanen, such as My Fallen Angel are power metal at its best, and unsurprisingly, High Heels on Cobblestone featuring Alexi Laiho, isn’t a million miles away from sounding like Children of Bodom to be honest, and is the heavier track on the album.

Warmen fill the album with another instrumental, Switcharoo which sees Janne Warman slightly self indulgent with his keyboard solo, and a couple of covers, showing both their rock and pop influences by choosing (surprisingly) Janet Jackson, and Journey, the final track showing of Rantanen’s raspy vocals well.

Sadly our copy doesn’t have the bonus track the Japanese version does, which is a great cover of Roxette’s Fading Like a Flower, but even without it this is a good fun album with great coves and songs with friends and a damn decent side project to Children of Bodom. If you like 80s catchy power metal and rock with some pop sensibilities, you’ll find this album easy listening despite how eclectic it is. A definite must for all fans of Finnish rock and metal to see all these talented Finnish musicians come together.


by Lynn Wyeth