Sinamore

A New Day

Written by: PP on 17/01/2006 09:21:11

The first thing that struck me about Sinamore's debut album "A New Day" was their vocalist Mikko Heikkilä's amazing voice. Each and every person's first comment, whom I've played Sinamore to, has been "wow, that guy has a strange voice". And indeed, it is Mikko's vocal work that carries the band forward and makes an impression on me amongst others. His vocals come across as sad, high pitched and majestic - all at the same time, and when it is complemented with an atmospheric, guitar driven melancholic sound, you've got all of the ingredients for some of the best gothic/melodic metal the blossoming Finnish scene can produce.

If the first two songs didn't already make me fall for them, the sadly spoken out, finishing words of "Sleeping Away" did. The entire song is a description of dying away, and once the last words slowly ascertain in Finnish "And eventually, we'll all die away" I was sold. There isn't a single half-assed song or a filler on the album, each and every one of them jumps over the bar set by the opening track "Follow Into The Cry", becoming more and more bittersweet and melancholic in their atmosphere.

"A New Day" contains an awful lot of references to God, but I'm still not inclined to label them as Christian metal. The references to God are often used briefly and not necessarily with the direct meaning to spread the word of God, or how would you interpret "To create a sound Divine", or "blood on the arms / God, we bleed again.."? The band does show that they certainly aren't afraid to bring religious elements into their arrangements, but I find it only good that they don't push it forward in the same way as P.O.D or Zao do for instance.

As you've grown accustomed to "A New Day", you'll find yourself trying to imitate Mikko's voice, while attempting to play air guitar to the solid metal riffing, and singalong the beautiful melodies that sound dark and bright at the same time. This is also where the strength of "A New Day" lies. It's melodic and accessible enough for the ordinary listener to be able to enjoy it, but it isn't too soft or happy for the metalheads not to embrace it as well.

It isn't easy to compare Sinamore into any bands, as their style is so unique from most of the Gothic bands. Nightwish and HIM couldn't be further away from their sound, and although elements from bands like Hammerfall or Sonata Arctica make you scratch your head every once in a while, no band comes obviously in mind while listening to them. Excellent debut.

8

Download: Crimson Leaf, Darkness Of Day
For the fans of: Katatonia, HIM, Hammerfall, Sonata Arctica

Release date 30.01.2006
Napalm Records
Provided by Target ApS

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