The Nidra – Destination Locked [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

In the last few months of 2024, I found myself on an Eternal Tears of Sorrow kick. I’ve loved their music for a long time now, and am sorely missing new releases. The news of the band’s official hiatus was rough to read, and it got me wondering what other projects the band members are involved in. Lo and behold, Risto Ruuth and Jarmo Kylmänen (guitars and singing respectively) teamed up with drummer Heikki Vähäkuopus just this year to form The Nidra, a melodic progressive metal project that released its debut, Destination Locked, in April. Destination Locked does not fill the Eternal Tears of Sorrow-shaped hole in my heart, nor does it try to, but it does boast the impressive musicianship and quality I’ve come to expect from this beloved group.

You could be forgiven for thinking initially that Destination Locked is a power metal album, as opener “Akasha” takes the general brightness and shine of Before the Bleeding Sun and ups the speed manifold, involving wild duos of guitar and keys solos that leave Kylmänen practically racing to keep up. The wild spin is a great start, but as Destination Locked, its general sound becomes rooted in more standard melodic/prog metal unions. What makes it stand out, then, is the compositions, both in the serious songs and the fun ones. Ruuth in particular is never predictable but always strong, whether his guitars are taking the lead as in “Swaying Bridges” or are supporting players in “Less Than Meets the Eye.” When he does break out the solos, they’re mesmerizing—”The Colors of Reality” in particular boasts his skill. Someone is doing similarly impressive work on the keys, though I have no idea who. Generally, they’re in solo mode, but are there as backing instruments, adding a melodic sheen to the album.

Destination Locked has a clean mix and strong songwriting, so it’s naturally at its best when all three musicians are allowed to shine together. “The Seventh Wave” is a great example—the keys are constantly soloing, the guitars and drums a perfect backdrop of heaviness, and Kylmänen’s singing is layered in the chorus to great effect. These choruses are where he shines best; his vocal style reminds me of Manne Ikonen’s in Ghost Brigade, including a tendency for asymmetrical vocal melodies. While I can see that taking a spin or two for some to get used to, his range across Destination Locked gives it a depth and dimension that is harder to achieve with just a (really fast) drummer, guitarist, and keyboard, and I appreciate his style. Another highlight of his is on “Degenerated,” where his impassioned delivery in the verses and high notes in the chorus are awesome to hear—right before Ruuth gives one of the best solos of the album.

As far as I can tell, Destination Locked was put together for the fun of it—I’ve found barely any promotion for it, the entire album is available on YouTube, and it comes from a group of musicians whose other projects are not particularly active. Despite that, the songwriting, production, and musicianship are consistently superb throughout. This is an easy one to have missed in 2024, but is well worth checking out if you enjoy bright, zany music as much as I do; The Nidra make Destination Locked an absolute delight.

Tracks to Check Out: “The Colors of Reality,” “Apocalyptic iShine,” “Degenerated”

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