SOLUTION .45 – Nightmares In The Waking State Part II (Album Review)

Ding ding! Round 2…I had the dubious pleasure (?) of reviewing Part 1 of this mega opus and here is what I thought first time round:

“The tracks are well produced and the musicianship is top notch, it is just not a balanced effort. At some point, the audience will need to be considered and I’m really not sure that Solution .45 have that as top of their agenda. My advice – stick to the Power Metal and leave Death (far) behind.“

Will Part 2 change my mind in any way?

Okay, so that I gave it a fair crack of the whip, I made a checklist of all the things that annoyed me about Part 1 and ticked off whether these were still present…

Songs are all complex and heavy/light with lots of growling, noodling, and general over-the-top antics? Oh goodie, they are still following that formula. Check.
No discernible melody or hooks? Can I remember one of the ten songs? Nope. Check.
Lyrics not easily understood and message lost? Completely the same as Part 1. Check.
Load of old cobblers, with no sense of being created other than for the band themselves. Check.

This release is still not good enough. I see bands that are far more innovative (such as Evergrey, Beartooth or Amorphis) and this is nowhere near their standards. The production this time out is a bit uneven, the vocals are still poor and the overall collection is frankly substandard in so many ways. I can barely summon up the interest to make it all the way through the record.

There is one good song on the record and that is the Asia-like sound of “What Turns The Wheels“, but even this is pretty boring.

Really sorry Solution .45, but back to the drawing board if you’re going to garner any kind of long-term fanbase and progress. Suggestion – listen to something more contemporary, sing from the heart and find some fire…”Faint Pulse Of Light“, not even a flicker.

Decibel Geek Review: Solution .45 – Nightmares in the Waking State Pt. 1

BUY: Nightmares in the Waking State Pt. 1 / BUY: Nightmares in the Waking State Pt. 2