When I saw this turn up I had a massive smile on my face, and was originally transported back to producing Feedback using an electronic typewriter as I reviewed this album when it first came out in 1997, and now here it is back again! This was the debut release from House of Shakira, who are still going today, and as soon as I heard it I was massively impressed and expected them to become a household name as ‘Lint’ was packed full of melodic rock belters throughout, but even though they have stayed popular in the rock scene they deserved far more commercial success. Formed as The Station in Stockholm back in 1991, they changed their name after a radio station felt it was too close to theirs, yet before they released their debut they changed their singers, and when it came out the singer was Andreas Eklund, but they had also recorded DAT demos with first singer Mikael “Zifa” Eriksson during 1993-1995, and guitarist Mats Hallstensson has mastered them and made them available here so we get the album twice, with different vocalists.

This is hard-hitting melodic rock that has not been sanitised too much yet also has songs which are packed full of hooks. I must confess to having not played the debut for some years, but as soon as I started playing this it was like coming across an old friend and wondering why on earth we have not been in touch more as this is a delight all the way through. “Method of Madness” is probably the best known song here, and when the vocals start with riffing guitars for company all the listener wants to do is join in at the top of their lungs. Here we have one singalong anthem after another, and surely if these guys were American they would have been up there with Tesla as one of the greats of this style of music. Harmony vocals, great hooks, crunching guitars, melodies everywhere, what is there not to love? If you did not come across this when it was released, or when it was reissued some 15 years ago, then now is definitely the time to do so as for fans of melodic rock this is simply essential.

Rating: 10/10

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/HouseofShakira/
https://www.frontiers.it/