It has been a long time since I’ve heard a song as affecting as Hi Status Qualified’s “Flesh and Blood”. The Finnish music collective HiSQ has taken on the ballad form for this new single featuring former Nightwish vocal talent Marko Hietala. Hi Status Qualified had Hietala in mind for the vocal slot from the outset as they understood his personal resonance with the material would likely ensure a five-star performance. The lyrics for “Flesh and Blood” occupy deeply emotional territory without flinching and even half-attentive listeners will note how Hietala gives himself over to the moment completely.
The musicians respond likewise. Mikko Mäkinen plays piano on the track and is Hietala’s constant companion along the way. His playing helps orchestrate a lot of the song’s peaks and valleys with a level of responsiveness that few other players can readily match. The clarity of the piano playing leaps out at you without ever overwhelming the listener It links up well with HiSQ’s guitar work. Peter Engberg’s acoustic playing has classical overtones without ever taking the song too far in that direction and it’s never removed from listener’s familiar melodic experiences. Any longtime music fan will recognize the tenor of the playing and appreciate its skill.
The brevity of the song’s lyrics isn’t reflective of any lack. The writing pares down the message to its core sentiments and eschews any fat. Hietala’s interpretation of the lyrics fills those lines with passion always practically at the point of bursting and he culminates that with the song’s chorus. It’s memorable how the collective presses down on the gas pedal some with this moment but never buries listeners under an ill-considered avalanche of sound.
The approach they take to music making is distinctive and offbeat. It works, however. Some members of the collective have instrumental specific duties while others play nothing at all and, instead, concentrate on designing the band’s visual elements. Despite the wide-ranging nature of the band’s vision, the song never drones on and there’s artistic control present each second of the way.
They aren’t writing about pie in the sky concepts or fantasy. “Flesh and Blood” exists in the real world where our everyday decisions carry enormous weight on our future and our emotions are often our deadliest foe. The potential for listeners relating to Hi Status Qualified’s songwriting is across the board and the song’s sound doesn’t ask listeners to veer into uncertain places.
The ring of the familiar, however, isn’t a bad thing. It isn’t a bad thing when you have songwriting so skilled at pouring old wine into new bottles without testing listener’s patience. It far from wearies listeners. Hi Status Qualified’s “Flesh and Blood”, instead, packs an emotional punch deriving its power from a convincing portrayal rather than tired bullet points and cookie cutter musical theatrics. Markko Hietala’s voice puts the final touch of flavor into the stew that will find favor with many; he lives every inch of the song and you’re compelled to follow him along.
Claire Uebelacker
The music of HISQ has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com