On the surface, Santa Cruz are just another hard rock band with a taste for the pomp and bluster of the 80s. On closer inspection, they’re nowhere near that interesting. The Finns’ second album is so desperate to be regarded as a classic rock record that it very nearly succeeds through sheer audacity. Unfortunately, while the band are clearly under the impression that they are channelling the chart-busting über-confidence of Bon Jovi and Skid Row, Santa Cruz share far more musical DNA with the wet-lettuce end of alternative rock, with all the Disney Channel sugariness and dim-witted, grit-free emoting such an affiliation entails. Compare this to the life-affirming AOR bombast of H.E.A.T or the thrilling, radio-rock gloss of The Night Flight Orchestra and be instantly appalled that this exists at all. Classic rock, yerarse. This is horrible.
Santa Cruz - Bad Blood Rising album review
Finnish hard rockers fail to fulfil their classic remit

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
More about metal hammer

The new issue of Metal Hammer features Ghost on the cover – and comes with three exclusive gifts!

"Touring Australia with the Sex Pistols was horrendous. Seeing the audience doing Nazi salutes really wore me down, and Johnny Rotten didn’t say anything." Skunk Anansie's Skin recalls "violent" 1996 tour with the Sex Pistols