Defenders Of The Faith, le forum Metal

Frontiers Music Srl announces the release of the debut album from one of their most exciting new projects, a collaboration between powerhouse Finnish vocalists Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast) and Netta Laurenne (Smackbound), under the banner Laurenne/Louhimo.

The Reckoning will be unleashed on July 9 on CD/LP/Digital. Today, fans can get their first taste of the album with the pummelling grooves of debut single and music video, "Bitch Fire", which features a guest guitar solo by Samy Elbanna from Lost Society. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save The Reckoning here.

"With this album, I wanted to capture the essence of classic heavy metal and hard rock and combine it with great melodies and lyrics that have value. It was clear from the beginning, having two strong voices on the album, that this album was going to be full of power, energy, attitude and emotion. I envisioned it lovingly kicking everyone’s ass, my own included, and I think it does just that. It’s pushing us to do better and evolve, yet having great empathy towards the struggles we all face as humans," says Netta Laurenne.

”My inspiration was definitely the thought of empowering and the songs giving a feeling of strength and sensitivity. And us interpreting the songs from our hearts and souls with full force, leaving no question about how passionate we are as vocalists and artists," adds Noora Louhimo.

Adds Frontiers President/Head of A&R Serafino Perugino, "I believe Netta is a truly gifted and talented artist and this is one of a few records besides Smackbound that we will start a fruitful creative and artistic cooperation with her on. To pair her with Noora [Louhimo], who literally blows everyone away with her smashing vocals in not only her main band Battle Beast, but also on Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall and Heart Healer records, is incredibly exciting and an honor."

After Perugino approached Netta about the possibility of some new projects for the label, including a duets album, Netta realized this was the perfect opportunity to fulfill her idea of a collaborative album with Noora. And now, these two incredible singers have put together a storming melodic metal album.

Today, Laurenne/Louhimo – the collaboration between powerhouse Finnish vocalists Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast) and Netta Laurenne (Smackbound) – announce the release of their sophomore album, Falling Through Stars, set for release on April 18 via Frontiers Music Srl. The first single and accompanying video, “Damned”, are also available now.

On the single, Laurenne comments: “’Damned’ is our first single release, and it represents the most classic style of melodic metal and hard rock on the album. Full of energy and attitude, we wanted to create a video that shows us performing alongside the musicians who played on the album. The song explores the struggles of battling inner demons, depression and self-doubt – while also capturing the determination to rise above them.”

Watch the video for “Damned” below.

Laurenne/Louhimo is one of the most exciting projects on Frontiers Music Srl and, in this second chapter, deliver a full force metal assaults with the power to blow you away. Laurenne/Louhimo offers listeners a mix of heavy metal and hard rock tracks that explores the variety of the genre, while maintaining a straightforward, easy-to-enjoy appeal.

Falling Through Stars’has shades of all eras of Rainbow here and there, as well as Judas Priest and many other 80s icons of the style. All of these influences are expertly filtered into Netta and Noora’s way of composing music.

The idea of a possible collaboration between Netta and Noora became a reality once the pandemic started and cleared out calendars for both artists. It felt like a perfect time to start the project and share all the things they have in common, from the same original town to similar idols and influences.

The main highlights of the album are, naturally, the vocal melodies created and shared by Netta Laurenne and Noora Louhimo.

Falling Through Stars has been once again produced at the Sonic Pump studio under the guidance of Nino Laurenne (who also played the guitars and contributed to the songwriting). The production is clear and powerful and gives the deserved value to the two stars here.

Songs like “Falling Through Stars”, “Damned”, “Loud And Clear” or “Wait” are just a few of the highlights of a great album that will please all melodic metal fans.

Commenting on the album, Laurenne states: “Falling Through Stars is the second collaborative album with Noora, and it gave us the opportunity to step in and out of our comfort zones to meet halfway. We had a great time writing and recording the album, which I co-produced with my husband, Nino Laurenne. This album takes us on a journey through both the past and future of metal. We’ve aimed to incorporate styles, instruments, and emotions spanning from the ’70s to the present day. It’s a dynamic album that showcases both raw power and delicate moments, and we’re excited to share it with everyone”