ALBUM REVIEW: HAREM SCAREM - Chasing Euphoria - Frontiers Music s.r.l.
This album is a catchy, groove-filled, joyously fun romp through pre-Grunge AOR metal. Harem Scarem's Chasing Euphoria (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) instantly jumped onto my 2025 Top Ten list within moments of hitting "play".
The title track, "Chasing Euphoria" stabbed an ear worm into my skull. I cannot stop bouncing to it. The rest of the album - the press kit called the genre "Melodic Hard Rock," which must be their way of avoiding "Hair Metal" or "Glam Metal" - doesn't matter, this just makes me happy.
Released about a month ago as of this writing, I find myself playing it again and again despite not needing to do a review. If I like it this much, I gotta share it.
Initially formed in 1987 in Canada the biography in the press kit shares a journey from local grinders working twelve years to get signed and then enjoy a mid-range career with international fans, a temporary name and genre change before settling into this tight bundle of awesome.
I am quite sure a good Google would fill in all the gaps I left in that run-on sentence.
"Better The Devil You Know," "Slow Burn," and "Gotta Keep Your Head Up" tumble all over each other with all the catchy, bouncy fun you found slathered all over MTV at the time these guys started. Definitely before Grunge.
"World On Fire" is the obligatory power ballad this genre makes almost mandatory. It's not bad for all that. (I am on record as a non-fan of power ballads.)
"In A Bad Way" is slower, but more AOR rock than power ballad. "Reliving History" follows and brings the fun back with it. "A Falling Knife" rounds out these eight tracks with a solid rocker.
Honestly, the first half of this album is epic. The second half is very good. The whole thing is worth the price of admission. (The power ballad got the "9" below, your mileage may vary.)
I would love to see a packed venue with these guys. The show would register on seismographs far away.
Buy the album here: https://soundcloud.com/haremscarem/sets/chasing-euphoria-5
9 / 10
LARRY ROGERS
Larry Rogers, Ghost Cult Magazine, Harem Scarem, Frontiers Music s.r.l., Melodic Hard Rock, Hair Metal, Glam Metal, AOR, Canada, Yugoboy Productions, Yugoboy's Stereo
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