|
Former Scar Symmetry singer Christian Älevstam found a new musical home in Solution .45, a band which was founded 2007 by him and guitarist Jani Stefanovic. The band released a demo and a single so far. The lyrics are written by Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity) who also did backing vocals.
The opener is called The Close Beyond and shows a band based in heavy riffs, growls and clean melodic vocals. Jani Stefanovic and Tom Gardiner's guitars deliver heavy riffs and melodic passages. If Solution .45 wouldn't use growls this one would be interesting for more traditional heavy metal fans as well, but I think that the growls will make them hit the stop button... On the other hand some fans will dismiss them for the catchy clean vocals... Looks like the band is sitting on a fence... The slow, melodic passage in the last third of Gravitational Lensing reminds me a bit of Evergrey... Keyboard and clean vocals combined with some symphonic sounds make this one catchy, but the harsh contrast between the clean vocals and the growls are too much for many. Songs like Through Night - Kingdomed Gates is a modern metal tune which offers a great hook line. The opening of For Aeons Past is fast, riff-based and the aggressive growls fit well, a brutal tune with a slight melodic edge, great for a melodic death metal band, but then the clean vocals set in and they end up facing the same problem as on any other song. As personally I prefer the more melodic side my favorite is Lethean Tears - and I would like to hear more stuff like that! The 16+ minutes long Clandestinity Now shows all the facets of their sound, but again the melodic vocals are more memorable and make this one a catchy one. But keep in mind that they also use growls!
Without the growls the band would be interesting for a lot more metal fans, coz the melodic elements, the traditional metal parts and the keyboard passages combined with some progressive sounds are interesting and the vocals are even enchanting. But I think they will run into the problem that extreme metal fans annoyed by the clean vocals and fans of more melodic sounds can't stand the growls. Time will tell, if they can succeed with this mix...
Track-by-Track by Solution .45
THE CLOSE BEYOND
Wow, what can I say.. Great song to open up this album! Still can't get over how that 8-string part catches you off guard! Sounds like a rusty hook from below impaling you and dragging you down to hell or something! Me likes!
GRAVITATIONAL LENSING
By now, this track should be one of the more known tracks since it's been on Metal Injection, but also Myspace and Youtube, etc for a while. And with good reason! I think it's worth the extra attention! Great song!
THROUGH NIGHT-KINGDOMED GATES
Maybe my personal favorite. Christian's vocal arrangements on the verse parts were a nice surprise to me since I always assumed it would be a growling part. The outro vocal parts are awesome too! Also watch out for some axe trading from me and Jani!!
FOR AEONS PAST
Similarly surprised, this time I pictured a melodic verse instead of the growling vocals, but damn, kicks maximum ass just as it is! Christian is full of surprises! But after a few listenings, I can see why this is the title track!
LETHEAN TEARS
Ladies, we're coming for YOU!!
BLADED VAULTS
This track brings alot of fond memories. I've played some of the pre-production versions of this one on different clinics and guitar fares! One time in Oulu, Finland, I had a clinic-duet with Wintersun drummer Kai Hahto and we played this track together! He actually learned the song in a real short notice and we jammed through with no problem! Great guy. This one has some Chopin-influenced guitar soloing! Hope this track will bring fond memories to you too, in time! Enjoy...
WIRETHRONE
Brutality and passion captured in a sonical entity! This has my favourate chorus at the moment. Soaring melody with brutal vocals! Kind of like the beauty and the beast, except we ain't no beauties (but ladies, we can be your beasts!).. Very soulful song!
ON EMBERED FIELDS ADUST
Like Blade Vaults, I've played this one on clinics and with Mr. Hahto too. Some psychedelic solos coming your way!
INTO SHADOW
I think this is the most soulful song on the album (well, in my opinion of course...)!
CLANDESTINITY NOW
Long song, so short description: EPIC! Three songs in one.
|
|
