It's interesting to see what bridges metal fans will and won't cross. In the past, metal has mixed with rap, Goth, punk rock, and folk music, all to various degrees of commercial and critical success, but when it comes to electronic and pop music, that's when the arms get crossed and the gatekeepers stomp out. But does a meeting of metal and pop have to be taboo? Ad Infinitum provided some excellent examples of the two meshing on their recent album, "Abyss," and there have been several metal covers of pop songs in the past, from Gamma Ray covering the Pet Shop Boys to every other undiscovered band seeking attention covering whatever's in the charts this week. On November 1st, the world was introduced to Arctis, a Finnish band unashamed of their metal and pop influences and seeks to showcase it for everyone on their eponymous debut album.

Straight away, the listener gets a good idea of what to expect in the form of "I'll Give You A Hell." It opens with an electronic sound reminiscent of the Europop prevalent in the 1990s before the guitars add their two cents to the piece. The combination of metal, pop, and electronica may sound messy at first, but they come together so well that the exciting first number can easily appeal to fans of all three genres. Alva Sandström's vocals shine brightly on this track and unsurprisingly are a dominant feature throughout the rest of the record, even if they do become a little shrill on this song. The combination continues with "Bimbo," a cover of the Swedish pop/rock band Lambretta, and what's interesting is not only have Arctis made it their own, but it sounds both heavier and more accessible than the original.

One of the most fun things to do when listening to an album for the first time is imagining which songs will go down well live and there's a huge number of tracks that will do just that. "Remedy," for example, has a lot of opportunities for audiences to sing along and maintains that 90s pop vibe, while "When The Lights Go Out" has a tremendous rhythm that will get as many asses shaking as heads banging. Another highlight would be "Frozen Swan," which perhaps contains the best vocal performance on the record, and introduces some more tender elements that steer into the ballad territory, something expanded upon in "WWM," which provides a heart-wrenching style but with plenty of guts.

For as much as the album promises tonnes of energy and fun, it becomes a much deeper affair as it goes on. As discussed, "Frozen Swan" and "WWM" offer more introspective etudes, but there's still more to be found. "Fire" is a cautionary tale of substance abuse, without becoming a moral lecture, whereas "No Slave" is a rousing anthem of the independent spirit. "Child Of The Night" keeps the emotional edge of the fifth and sixth tracks, but brings back a strong dose of liveliness. This is all before the album concludes with "Theater Of Tragedy," which doesn't go over the top but remains fun, while also using the more somber pieces to create something of a collage of the album as a whole.

Usually, when a band uses their moniker as the title of their debut, it's used almost as a standard practice, but with "Arctis," the band doesn't just introduce themselves, they encapsulate themselves. While it can still be developed, it's fascinating to find a new band that is very clear on their style, influences, and goals, aiming to break bread with fans of different types of music and for the most, succeeding. There's a whole bunch of songs that will stick in the listener's head and plenty of power and attitude behind them to help them share stages with established metal acts, such as Apocalyptica, whom they'll be touring with soon. Arctis has arrived ready to make an impact, and that's just what they've done with their debut.