ONE DESIRE – One Night Only – Live in Helsinki
- Posted on 10-08-2021
I was mighty impressed by the Finnish hard rocker’s latest studio offering entitled "Midnight Empire" (2020) and so I was curious as to how this live album (it is a package containing a CD and a DVD containing the album release performance) would turn out. While listening to more raw and loose versions of their stadium-sized, infectiously catchy material does hold a certain charm, and the sound is quite good all-around in that it packs punch and possesses clarity, it is neither the most convincing nor potent live album that I have come across lately. The band appear slightly shaky in places and this release does not capture a group at the height of its powers or firing on all melodic hard rock cylinders.
"One Night Only" is not bad – it is simply not as memorable or addictive as it could have been, and I can only really see this live effort appealing to die-hard fans of the band or perhaps if you attended the gig yourself. Judging from the DVD and the banter between the tunes, one does get the impression that they are enjoying themselves up there on stage, which is good. The DVD is decently shot and takes you close to the stage but without bringing anything new or exciting to the table as such. A mildly entertaining albeit unremarkable record. You should stick to "Midnight Empire".