ONE DESIRE – Live with the Shadow Orchestra

The Finnish melodic hard rock outfit known as One Desire is bloody marvelous, and its five members sure know to craft a big and juicy tune filled to the brim with soaring vocals, stadium-sized riffs, and more hooks that one can possibly digest. Having said that, their previous live effort titled One Night Only – Live in Helsinki (2021) failed to impress me, and I recall stating that fans and listeners were better off with the excellent Midnight Empire studio album. Now that Live with the Shadow Orchestra is out, I might have to revise that statement simply because this latest live LP of theirs sounds infinitely better than its predecessor in every conceivable way, and (as the title so neatly suggests) boasts the inclusion of an orchestra, which entails that these well-written compositions come across as even more powerful, potent, and richly textured than before. What I am getting at is that this CD/DVD package adds something worthwhile and notable to the One Desire discography by offering us a musical experience with an added twist. Thanks to the expanded line-up, several new nuances and interesting contrasts are in play throughout and make for an arresting listen. It also has to be said that the quintet sound much more determined and on fire here compared to the aforementioned Helsinki disc. The energy in the room is palpable, and while the CD and digital stream are all you basically need, the DVD is actually worth a look as it has some cool visual elements to it. This release might primarily appeal to fans of the act but that should not detract newcomers from checking it out.