Lunarsea - Hundred Light Years

This Italian band strikes back with its third full-length work after 5 years. The band’s melodic death metal with thrash & atmospheric elements has become a tad more advanced and technical. They have not gone off their previous music line but it is evident now that all those years that they keep on going have worked for the band’s own shake. They are still brutal, melodic, aggressive and sharp when need be.
 
The production is heavy & tight as f@ck. Without any doubt this album bears the best production they had to date. The album was recorded at Outer Sound Studio by Giuseppe Orlando (Novembre, Valkiria), produced by the band itself and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studio. The guest appearances on the album are from: Tim Charles (Voice & violin - Ne Obliviscaris), Tom Nitfield (German producer), Emanuele Casali (DGM-Astra), Martin Minor (German pianist) & Michael Shulmann (violinist).
 
Leaving the band’s main influences from Dark Tranquility, In Flames, Soilwork, Kalmah & Scar Symmetry among others aside, Lunarsea do not excite on the hooks. Too many flat melodies, not very memorable… while the musicianship is a killer, their flavor for good & catchy melodies are not very effective. If they manage to fix that thing then they can claim a place among the above-mentioned groups… if not then…