”Fired Up” is the debut album from Norwegian classic hard rock band KAASIN, founded by guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin, who in the past has collaborated with Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes, Doogie White, and Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake), as well as being the founding member of COME TASTE THE BAND, a group who began as a Deep Purple tribute band, and released their lone album of original material in 2019, which featured guest appearances from JL Turner and Doogie White.
In January 2020 JH Kaasin went on to form his own band, simply called KAASIN. He recruited his cousin, Staale Kaasin from Spider and 2020 Vision, to handle bass. The band also features Norwegian powerhouse singer Jan Thore Grefstad, known for his incredible vocal duties with Highland Glory and TNT.
Signed by Pride & Joy Music, this CD version of ”Fired Up”includes two bonus tracks.
As expected with the past associations of Jo Henning Kaasin, this has a definite Deep Purple / Rainbow influence: Melodic Hard Rock in the tradition of the great bands from the Seventies and early Eighties, with Hammond organ / analog synths et all.
The lead off track “We Are One” is pretty close to Rainbow’s “Spotlight Kid”, with that opening riff, and fast tempo; good song, very familiar. Elsewhere it’s a good set of guitar rockers, and strong vocals from Grefstad. He suits this Purple / Rainbow direction very well.
Love the variety of tunes here, from the heavy epic “Revelation” [pretty cool organ in there too], to more ’80s type rockers like “Chain Of Love” and “Carry On”, to the album’s lone acoustic ballad “Shades Of Yesterday”, possibly the best cut here, with great guitar break and vocal performance.
The bluesy vibes and massive grooves that permeate the record recall early Whitesnake too. The mellow passages are tinged with a sense of longing and heartache, and singer Jan Thore Grefstad handles both the ballads and the huge, barnstorming rockers with verve and vigor.
Perhaps it was the overall feeling of enthusiasm that is ever-present on the disc that immediately sucked me in the first time I listened to these robust and elegantly crafted compositions? Well, that and the fact that the tracks consist of so many memorable parts that that takes you back when rock n’ roll was good.
“Fired Up” is full of terrific tunes that are explosive and overflowing with energy but never skimp on melody or meaty hooks. Then again, it is also highly dynamic and boasts variety and a few nice surprises.
It may be heavily inspired by the giants and legends of old but by no means is it merely a salute to the greatest of times; Kaasin possess a style and identity of their own and deliver the goods and do so in a powerful, convincing manner.
A fabulous combination of catchiness and class that fans of Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, and the likes ought to make a serious note of.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
01. We Are One 05:01
02. Hidden 04:01
03. The Smoking Gun 04:30
04. Carry On 04:52
05. Shades Of Yesterday 03:42
06. Walking Downwards 03:28
07. Chain Of Love 04:03
08. Wrong 05:26
09. Inside Out 03:21
10. Revelation (Bonus Track) 04:52
11. Runaway Train (Bonus Track) 03:44
Kaasin – Fired Up – 2021, FLAC+MP3 , CD w/ Scans
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