Vains Of Jenna
The Art Of Telling Lies

Speaking frankly, I have no recollection of how this "The Art Of Telling Lies" ended up in my 'small' collection, which, however, should not be taken as a sarcastic invitation to ignore the debut album of the Swedish band Vains Of Jenna.
For those who are not yet familiar with them, and I believe there are many, the band led by the charismatic Jesse Forte is heavily influenced by hard rock, hair, and sleaze Metal from a few years ago, bringing to mind bands like AC/DC, as well as groups like Motley Crue and partly Guns N' Roses.

The brilliant opening of the single "Everybody Loves You When You're Dead," which although in a fun and ironic context, tackles an important theme— the hypocrisy of death seen as a moment of affection, while perhaps when alive, no one thought of you. Another impactful track is the melodic "Mind Pollution", I won't deny that it almost feels like going back 20 years, Forte may not be Axl Rose and the solos may not be those of Slash, but with due proportion, the result is more than convincing. The solid hard rock of "Refugee" sticks in your head after a couple of listens, and the irreverence and nostalgia of "I Belong To Yesterday" (in the sense of, I don't belong to the 2000s) keep the album at excellent levels. Excellent as well is "Purple Heart", the first slow and reflective track of the album, which shows the full versatility of the quartet from Falkenberg, a Swedish suburban town where the group grew up— a band that seems anything but Scandinavian. In closing, good tracks like "Enemy In Me" and especially the title track "The Art Of Telling Lies".

In conclusion, it should be clear that we are not talking about yet another pretentious band, Vains Of Jenna somehow reopen a gap that had inevitably closed over the years. "The Art Of Telling Lies" is as it suggests, a dive into the past with an eye on catchiness of these times, times that in the genre do not offer who knows what novelty, thinking for example of albums like "Saints Of Los Angeles", the latest from Motley Crue, which I consider inferior to this present LP, though I do not feel that Vains Of Jenna will reach the same heights and success as the Californian band. A record that flows smoothly and highlights, as if there were any need, the versatility of Scandinavian musical culture, probably, we still have so, so much to learn here.