Naio Ssaion
Out Loud
7
Sometimes I really wonder how a lot of the stuff we review finds its way to our mailbox. It seems as if any band with a distorted guitar gets lumped in to the all-encompassing “metal/metal-friendly” grouping. Such is the case with one of Slovenia’s more popular acts Naio Ssaion. Six members, short poppy songs, female singing, occasional backing male vocals with a definite English accent… On the surface they look like a certain Italian band that’s making some waves in the wider musical world. But I suppose that if we cover Cristina et al., there’s no reason not to give Naio Ssaion a fair shake.
First of all, the production is superb, which is a huge boon to the band. The odder elements of their sound come to life, such as subtle backing electronic noises and an electric violin that adds a hint of folkiness to the mix. Her voice is well-suited for rock music, with a solid control and some range, and none of the ear-splitting opera notes. The guitarists play some low groove riffs, but mostly just provide a backing rhythm for the vocals.
“The Mirror” is an interesting track. There is a lot of clean, heavily-reverbed guitar behind quiet verses, which is broken up with a sweet violin interlude. I think that this violin business can definitely set them apart from the hordes of girl rock bands if it’s utilized more often. “n. s.s.” is their first single, although most of this album is palatable enough for mainstream radio. This song’s chorus is especially catchy and uplifting. “Bla Bla” – which I’m hoping means something profound in Slovenian – is another single and features a lot of speedy violin work along with a fast-moving chorus. Naio Ssaion play a more straightforward rock than similar bands like Lacuna Coil and Leaves’ Eyes.
Out Loud is one of the more complete rock albums I’ve heard in awhile, with well-composed songs of equal quality. The album moves along quickly, and it frequently ends before I tire of it. Naio Ssaion are surely too poppy for many of the readers here, but the interesting quirks in their sound work to their advantage. And while US radio rarely ever ventures to play decent Euro bands, I’m sure that their new deal with Napalm Records will give many more Europeans a chance to hear them. Those with no interest in girl-powered rock have already stopped reading (unless they just love my work…..right….), but if you’ve continued onto the end and have a stomach for this style, Naio Ssaion plays it well.
