Within their native Sweden Solution 45 are seen as something of a "heavy metal super group" formed by guitarist Jani Stefanovic (Miseration and Essence Of Sorrow) and vocalist Christian Alvestam (Miseration, ex Scar Symmetry), and joined by Tom Gardiner, Anders Edlund and Rolf Pilve (on guitar, bass and drums respectively). 'For Eons Past' was recorded during a gruelling three-month period in Panic Room Studios with producer Thomas 'Plec' Johansson (Scar Symmetry) starting back in October 2009. 'For Eons Past' then is the band's first full-length release, and the ten tracks on offer also boast lyrical and vocal contributions from Dark Tranquillity vocalist Mikael Stanne.  

I'll be honest right upfront here and say I have a very mixed view of this album, one of the press releases I picked up described Solution 45 as a melodic death metal band.... hmmm. As I listen to 'For Eons Past' it is immediately obvious that Christian, when 'singing', is a hell of a melodic rock vocalist, and Jani and Tom are both excellent guitarists showing off some great soloing and riffing. In fact as death metal goes the musicianship throughout 'For Eons Past' is superb, heavy intense and full of aggressive growling vocals, but that is also my problem here as it's all a bit of a Gemini music wise, and in turn each song has two personalities. At times I think I'm listening to something on a par with anything Queensryche has released, then I'm thrown straight into Morbid Angel or the ilk and it doesn't quite gel for me. I mean check out the majestic 'Lethean Tears', which I'd rate it up with anything Dream Theater has done, and then compare it to the full on aural assault of 'Bladed Vaults' or the frantic death grunting album opener 'The Close Beyond'

For this reviewer death metal should be death metal, and melodic metal should be melodic metal; they just don't mix it that well on the same album, let alone the same song. Saying that I do really like 'For Eons Past' for all its surprises (but I'm a forgiving kind of guy) and it is well worth checking out, as everyone will have their own view. And once again I have to mention Christian Alvestam's performance here, as he is hell of a vocalist and caps a career defining performance of mixed up vocal styles on album closer, the sixteen-minute epic 'Clandestinity Now'.

http://www.myspace.com/solution45