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Like acts such as Supreme Majesty and Leverage, House Of Mirrors is a metal band playing melodic AOR, fusing both elements together to create a style that is refreshing but too sweet for most metallers to deal with. While Eden's Curse and Domain use similar tactics, House Of Mirrors are unique in that they don't simply play Pride Of Lions-esque pomp with heavy guitars and a soaring vocalist; they actually play songs from both genres, as their sophomore effort from 2006 attests.

Desolation has many sides (most of them sugary), though when the Finns get it right, it's very enjoyable. They aren't the most technically able band I've heard from Finland, but they play with enough spirit to guide them through, and in the instrumental sections they shine with a neo-classical flair. There are songs from two camps here, the AOR ("Waiting In The Wings", "Fallen Leaf") and double-kicked Power Metal ("Broken Soul", "On The Red Line"). The mix of styles makes this album a constant surprise; it's nice to hear bands messing with the generic guidelines, and if there are two styles that go together, it is Power Metal and AOR. Finally with groups such as House Of Mirrors and Leverage, people are starting to realize this.

Employing a vocalist who sounds like Timo Tolkki from his Dreamspace days, not everything on Desolation is of the highest quality. But the album is still a neat listen if you like your metal with a large dollop of melody.