HAREM SCAREM – Chasing Euphoria

Canadian hard rock band Harem Scarem are another one of those groups that debuted on the music scene when grunge rock was slowly starting to take over the world. They managed to put out two very successful albums with 1991’s self-titled debut album and 1993’s Mood Swings, before shifting their attention to Japan from the mid ‘90s to the early 2000s. Following years of experimentation and struggling with an identity crisis, Harem Scarem finally settled on a formula that works for them. That formula involves not caring about what’s popular on the charts and instead, focusing on music that speaks to them. Five years after the release of Change the World (2020), Harem Scarem are back with their latest release, Chasing Euphoria (2025). The band’s founding members, lead vocalist Harry Hess and guitarist Pete Lesperance, have proven that the spark is still there and they’re not going anywhere.

If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

The album kicks off with the title track, which has a killer wah-wah guitar riff and a memorable hook to die for. That chorus will be stuck in listeners’ heads for days, weeks, months, etc. Before going further, it’s worth noting that all of the songs on Chasing Euphoria have a very modern, classic rock sound. “Better the Devil You Know” is a good, commercial rock song that should be playing on the radio today, that is if current rock DJs would give up their belief that the ‘90s was the last great decade for the genre. “Slow Burn” makes for a fun, driving song with its faster tempo and thumping bass line. “Gotta Keep Your Head Up,” sung by vocalist and drummer Darren Smith, is one of the best songs on the record due to its funky guitar riff, fantastic groove, and motivational lyrics.

“In a Bad Way,” fittingly enough, has a darker tone, thanks to the wicked guitar riff and driving bass line. “Reliving History” lyrically sums up Harem Scarem and how far they’ve come since they formed in 1987. Going back to the band sticking to a formula that works for them, they’ve done enough flirtation with different genres to know that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The album closer, “Wasted Years,” is another fast paced rocker and no, it’s not a punk rock version of Iron Maiden’s song with the same title, but it’s got the attitude and charm of modern punk rock. Of course, it’s much more melodic and polished than the genre, thankfully.

Adapting to the Modern Times

Sonically, Chasing Euphoria sounds amazing! While technology comes with a lot of flaws, it has been a saving grace for album production. Sure, the raw and gritty production style of the ‘70s is awesome in many ways, but that sound doesn’t represent what Harem Scarem are all about. They are a good, melodic hard rock band that need a polished, yet current, production style to match their songs, which is what they got with Chasing Euphoria, as well as the previous few releases that came before it. The instrumentation on the album is also fantastic, especially Hess’ vocals, given there are plenty of singers from the ‘70s and ‘80s that have done a terrible job at keeping their voice in a stable condition. Hess is one of the very few who sounds just as good, if not better than he did during the band’s heyday. By the way, props to the backing vocals because the songs wouldn’t have had the same commercial effect without them.

Final Assessment

Overall, Harem Scarem’s Chasing Euphoria is a very solid rock album from a band that’s comfortable with where they are at now and there’s nothing wrong with that. For those who are interested, give the album a chance!

Album Tracklist

1. Chasing Euphoria
2. Better the Devil You Know
3. Slow Burn
4. Gotta Keep Your Head Up
5. World on Fire
6. In a Bad Way
7. Reliving History
8. A Falling Knife
9. Understand It All
10. Wasted Years

Band Lineup

Harry Hess – lead and backing vocals, and keyboards
Pete Lesperance – guitars and bass guitar
Creighton Doane – drums
Darren Smith – lead and backing vocals