Charon

There’s something about Finland — the air, the water, maybe the climate — that breeds dark rock bands. Charon fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. Released in Finland last year, their third album, Downhearted, is a well-composed collection of moody, power-driven, metallic rock. It doesn’t whine, it’s not overflowing with melodrama, it’s not unconsciously laughable. Unfortunately it’s not especially moving either. The single, "Little Angel,” effectively incorporates some synth into the mix and stands out a little from the rest, but as a whole, Downhearted is a little too smooth and inoffensive to make a strong impression. Charon are pretty good, but they need to take more risks if they want to be remembered.