Solution .45 - For Aeons Past

[Epidemic Reign]

If you're a Dark Tranquillity fan and haven't heard of this new band, this may spark your attention. Solution .45's debut album "For Aeons Past" was released a little less than 2 months ago. It features ex-Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam on lead vocals, as well as guest vocals by Mikael Stanne on the song "Bladed Vaults". Stanne also wrote the lyrics for the entire album.

I've been digging on it for a few weeks now and I love it. Currently my favorite release of 2010 so far. Any thoughts or opinions?

 

[Erik Erna]

I do dig this album.

When I was talking to Mikael about it, and he said the writing process was difficult. When he got the demo tracks for it, all it had were grunts and noises where the vocals would be, and he had to write from that.

 

[Defiance]

Mikael mentioned them in an interview, so I immediately looked them up. I think they're simply horrendous.

 

[Erik Erna]

Mikael mentioned them in an interview, so I immediately looked them up. I think they're simply horrendous.

They're not great or anything, but it's catchy. It...just sounds like Christian Scar Symmetry.

 

[Epidemic Reign]

I do dig this album.

When I was talking to Mikael about it, and he said the writing process was difficult. When he got the demo tracks for it, all it had were grunts and noises where the vocals would be, and he had to write from that.

Interesting. That does sound difficult!

If my memory serves me Christian didn't write his lyrics in Scar Symmetry nor Miseration. In his other new band, The Few Against Many, all of the lyrics are Swedish except for two English songs written by Mikael Stanne and Jonas from Katatonia. I don't know for sure that Christian wrote the Swedish lyrics, but it sounds to me like the guy must have trouble writing lyrics in English. Although his pronunciation is near perfect and he is a great vocalist.

By the way, have you heard The Few Against Many? Their debut, "Sot" is really good too, if you're into early Edge of Sanity / Pan.Thy.Monium type stuff. And no clean vocals, for those who find Christian's "emotional" side to be a bit much.

 

[Erik Erna]

I've heard the stuff, but I haven't really "gotten into it", so to speak. I usually have to give an album a few spins to decide either positive or negative. Of course, some album just plain suck right into it.

 

[Defiance]

They're not great or anything, but it's catchy. It...just sounds like Christian Scar Symmetry.

I don't like Scar Symmetry hehe.

 

[Epidemic Reign]

I don't like Scar Symmetry hehe.

A lot of people don't, and I find that understandable. Personally I'm a big fan and to be quite honest, I didn't become a fan until I heard Roberth Karlsson was joining the band. I've always enjoyed his work with Pan.Thy.Monium, Facebreaker, Edge of Sanity (the "Cryptic" album that most EoS fans didn't care for). But as they say, different strokes for different folks.

 

[Epidemic Reign]

I've heard the stuff, but I haven't really "gotten into it", so to speak. I usually have to give an album a few spins to decide either positive or negative. Of course, some album just plain suck right into it.

Very true. I understand completely, I've listened to the new Deftones album four times and I still can't quite grasp the appeal... but at least I'm fuckin' trying! Haha.

The thing that first drew me in to The Few Against Many was their occasional use of Swanö-esque synth. Very reminiscent of Moontower or Crimson II, two of my all-time favorite albums. Granted that particular sound doesn't rule their overall style, "Sot" no less quickly became one of my favorite albums as of late.

 

[Maxim1110]

About having trouble with English...

I recall reading something that In Flames' Anders Friden did have the same problem too, and he just wrote down a concept for what he wanted the lyrics to be about and Niklas Sundin would translate it into proper English lyrics. This happened on Colony and Whoracle I believe.

 

[Epidemic Reign]

About having trouble with English...

I recall reading something that In Flames' Anders Friden did have the same problem too, and he just wrote down a concept for what he wanted the lyrics to be about and Niklas Sundin would translate it into proper English lyrics. This happened on Colony and Whoracle I believe.

Now this I find very interesting!

Almost makes me wonder if Niklas was also helping Jesper Strömblad translate his guitar parts into proper music, as just after Colony was where In Flames began to tank

 

[Erik Erna]

Now this I find very interesting!

Almost makes me wonder if Niklas was also helping Jesper Strömblad translate his guitar parts into proper music, as just after Colony was where In Flames began to tank

HAHA, good call. Not true, but hysterical none the less.

As far as Scar Symmetry goes, I like something like two songs. The Illusionist and Mind Machine. They were HORRIBLE live though, everything sounded the same. Not to mention, Christian stood there with his finger in his ear, looking confused the whole time. I don't see the big deal about Christian at all, he's not bad, but I don't think there is anything overwhelmingly positive about him either. Granted, vocals are all a matter of opinion.

 

[Defiance]

Now this I find very interesting!

Almost makes me wonder if Niklas was also helping Jesper Strömblad translate his guitar parts into proper music, as just after Colony was where In Flames began to tank

har har.

 

[Epidemic Reign]

As far as Scar Symmetry goes, I like something like two songs. The Illusionist and Mind Machine. They were HORRIBLE live though, everything sounded the same. Not to mention, Christian stood there with his finger in his ear, looking confused the whole time. I don't see the big deal about Christian at all, he's not bad, but I don't think there is anything overwhelmingly positive about him either. Granted, vocals are all a matter of opinion.

I never had the opportunity to see them with Christian, but I recently saw them with the new vocalists and I thought they sounded good. Although I was drunk, so perhaps anything loud would have sounded good. Agreed The Illusionist and Mind Machine are two of their best songs, and fortunately they were two out of the mere 6 that they played that night.

 

[krofius]

About having trouble with English...

I recall reading something that In Flames' Anders Friden did have the same problem too, and he just wrote down a concept for what he wanted the lyrics to be about and Niklas Sundin would translate it into proper English lyrics. This happened on Colony and Whoracle I believe.

I private-messaged Niklas about this before and this is how it is (according to him)
TJR - All lyrics and songmelodies/rhythms
Whoracle - All texts except Episode 666 which was a reanalyze of a song Anders had wrote in Swedish, and some songmelodies.
Colony - Translation of 4-5 songs (he doesn't remember exactly)
Heavily off-topic but I felt I had to post about it..

 

[Epidemic Reign]

I private-messaged Niklas about this before and this is how it is (according to him)
TJR - All lyrics and songmelodies/rhythms
Whoracle - All texts except Episode 666 which was a reanalyze of a song Anders had wrote in Swedish, and some songmelodies.
Colony - Translation of 4-5 songs (he doesn't remember exactly)
Heavily off-topic but I felt I had to post about it..

That's pretty cool, thanks for sharing.

 

[Defiance]

I private-messaged Niklas about this before and this is how it is (according to him)
TJR - All lyrics and songmelodies/rhythms
Whoracle - All texts except Episode 666 which was a reanalyze of a song Anders had wrote in Swedish, and some songmelodies.
Colony - Translation of 4-5 songs (he doesn't remember exactly)
Heavily off-topic but I felt I had to post about it..

Can I have his mobile number? Please?

 

[Illnath]

I bought For Aeons past recently...I absoulutely love the album...I'm a big fan of everything Christian Älvestam is involved with...even this house-dance song