Solution .45 - For Aeons Past
Fans should be very excited for the release of Solution .45's debut album. Aside from the fact that it is headed by Christian Alvestam of Miseration and Scary Symmetry vocal fame, the band has teased the media with several demos before finally finding time to record For Aeons Past. For those who were disappointed with Alverstam's leave of Scary Symmetry and his change in style of Miseration's latest album, Solution .45 is the balance between those two projects. Alverstam makes plenty of use of his clean vocals along with his growls, and there's tons of melody from the guitars of Patrik Gardberg and Tom Gardiner. The drums are handled by Anders Edlund and drums are performed by fellow Misertaion skinsman, Rolf Plive. Each member has demonstrated their musical capabilities in numerous other bands, so the quality on For Aeons Past comes with high expectations.
"The Close Beyond" features some great melodic death metal riffs and growling. There's some session keyboards performed by Mikko Harkin to add the Scar Symmetry influence, but for the most part expect a lot of crushing power from the music. Alvestam's vocals are the core of melodic bits and his clean vocals sound better than ever; it is a real shame he let them go to waste on the latest Misertaion album. "Gravitational Lensing" has that sci fi quality in the lyrics and some great keyboard work along with the chugging guitars. Drums are clear and powerful, and of course the chorus is just soaring. There's even an acoustic guitar moment near the end where its just Alvestam's vocals and the strings being picked away that is mesmerizing before breaking into the heavier electric chugs. Melodic death metal never sounded better with tracks such as "Bladed Vaults" and "Into Shadow."
For Alvestam's standards and his fellow group-mates, they try to be a bit more melodic with Soultion .45 as compared to any of their other works. "Lethean Tears" is a melodic ballad that features all clean singing and hardly any traces of death metal. However, it is very effective and enjoyable to hear Alvestam sing for an entire track, especially with the electronic fade outs of the vocals. The guitars are an excellent blend of chugging riffs and melodic solos, and the keyboards sound perfect with each note. "On Embered Fields Adust" features a bit of screaming, but it is mostly forgettable as Alvestam sings his heart out, and the solo featured on this song is very technical and progressive, almost like something a mathcore band would do. FInally, perhaps the most exciting of all is the grand sixteen minute epic "Clandestiny Now." For one, it takes a lot of patience and skill to make a track over ten minutes interesting, and Solution .45 does it very well. It isn't the most melodic track on the album as it features a lot of heavy chords and growls, but there's also a share of quieter sets with the clean vocals and slowed down tempos near the end. The drums are the most prominent here, and when the guitar solos come in its done in a very harmonic way. Everything eventually crashes out and leaves the keyboards to twinkle away like it is the Twilight Zone, but altogether there is a feeling of awe left for the listener.
Altogether if one is a fan of Alvestam's vocal ability, or melodic death metal in general, then there is no way one can pass up on Solution .45. Everything that makes a band like Scar Symmetry or Miseration good is here, plus a bit of something extra. There's some tried and true musical quality in not only musicianship but also lyrical content. Solution .45 may have outdone themselves with their debut because now they'll have to really go out of this world to pull of anything in the future to top off For Aeons Past.
"The Close Beyond" features some great melodic death metal riffs and growling. There's some session keyboards performed by Mikko Harkin to add the Scar Symmetry influence, but for the most part expect a lot of crushing power from the music. Alvestam's vocals are the core of melodic bits and his clean vocals sound better than ever; it is a real shame he let them go to waste on the latest Misertaion album. "Gravitational Lensing" has that sci fi quality in the lyrics and some great keyboard work along with the chugging guitars. Drums are clear and powerful, and of course the chorus is just soaring. There's even an acoustic guitar moment near the end where its just Alvestam's vocals and the strings being picked away that is mesmerizing before breaking into the heavier electric chugs. Melodic death metal never sounded better with tracks such as "Bladed Vaults" and "Into Shadow."
For Alvestam's standards and his fellow group-mates, they try to be a bit more melodic with Soultion .45 as compared to any of their other works. "Lethean Tears" is a melodic ballad that features all clean singing and hardly any traces of death metal. However, it is very effective and enjoyable to hear Alvestam sing for an entire track, especially with the electronic fade outs of the vocals. The guitars are an excellent blend of chugging riffs and melodic solos, and the keyboards sound perfect with each note. "On Embered Fields Adust" features a bit of screaming, but it is mostly forgettable as Alvestam sings his heart out, and the solo featured on this song is very technical and progressive, almost like something a mathcore band would do. FInally, perhaps the most exciting of all is the grand sixteen minute epic "Clandestiny Now." For one, it takes a lot of patience and skill to make a track over ten minutes interesting, and Solution .45 does it very well. It isn't the most melodic track on the album as it features a lot of heavy chords and growls, but there's also a share of quieter sets with the clean vocals and slowed down tempos near the end. The drums are the most prominent here, and when the guitar solos come in its done in a very harmonic way. Everything eventually crashes out and leaves the keyboards to twinkle away like it is the Twilight Zone, but altogether there is a feeling of awe left for the listener.
Altogether if one is a fan of Alvestam's vocal ability, or melodic death metal in general, then there is no way one can pass up on Solution .45. Everything that makes a band like Scar Symmetry or Miseration good is here, plus a bit of something extra. There's some tried and true musical quality in not only musicianship but also lyrical content. Solution .45 may have outdone themselves with their debut because now they'll have to really go out of this world to pull of anything in the future to top off For Aeons Past.
- The Close Beyond
- Gravitational Lensing
- Through Night- Kingdom Gates
- For Aeons Past
- Lethean Tears
- Bladed Vaults
- Wirethrone
- On Embered Fields Adust
- Into Shadow
- Clandestine Now
