Solution .45: Nightmares in the Waking State – Part II

Swedish melodic/progressive/death metal band Solution .45 is back with a new album, the sequel to last year’s Nightmares in the Waking State – Part I, titled (you guessed it) Nightmares in the Waking State – Part II. The band wrote and recorded both albums’ worth of material at the same time, and opted for two separate releases rather than one epic double-album.

Solution .45, of course, is the product of former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Alvestam, his Miseration bandmate Jani Stefanovic and former Miseration drummer Rolf Pilve. This time around they’re joined by second guitarist Patrik Gardberg (of Torchbearer).

If you already own Nightmares in the Waking State – Part I, Part II probably won’t hold any surprises. This is the same intense yet melodic style of metal that’s a more modern interpretation of the classic At the Gates-style melodic death metal. Alvestam switches between clean and growled vocals with ease, and sounds fantastic at both styles. This feels more complex and layered than Solution .45’s debut (2010’s For Aeons Past), and I’m sure part of that is the larger scope of this release. It’s also a bit more intense and personal. The highlights here are “Mind Mutation,” “Built on Sand” and “The Curse That Keeps on Giving,” but the whole album is solid.

Now that we have both Nightmares in the Waking State albums available, we can ask ourselves whether there was really enough “A” material to justify the two separate releases. Both albums are really solid and enjoyable, but you could probably drop a couple of tracks from each part and have one killer release. Oh well, after the five year wait since For Aeons Past, I’d still rather have more Solution .45 material than less.

Solution .45 has taken their sound to the next level with these releases. If you already have Nightmares in the Waking State – Part I or the Solution .45 debut, Part II is a must-have addition to your collection. And if you’re into bands like Scar Symmetry, Mercenary, Soilwork and Into Eternity that have multiple vocal styles, Solution .45 is a band you’ll want to discover.

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