Midnattsol - Nordlys

September 8, 2008

Reviewer: Peter

Germany’s Midnattsol returns with the follow up to the debut album Where Twilight Dwells.  While the first album was pretty good, there were a few rough spots, such as the vocals.  The new album Nordlys sees marked improvement in this regard, as well as a slightly different sound.  However, it doesn’t mean that the band is perfect, far from it, actually.

Whereas Where Twilight Dwells only scratched the surface of what the band could be, Midnattsol goes even further on Nordlys.  The opening track "Open Your Eyes" sets the mood for the album, with a darker atmosphere.  Vocals, courtesy of Carmen Elise Espanaes, are better on this album, with more range, as evidenced on "Wintertimes", and are done with much more conviction.  The folk elements, or the lack thereof on the first album, appear more on this album, however slight those may appear.  That’s not to say that it isn’t good, as sometimes the best way to get where you want to be is to take baby steps.  The music, as a whole, is darker, which ultimately helps the band in focusing on what they need to do, especially on tracks such as "Konkylie" and "Race of Time".  As with "Where Twilight Dwells", the guitars are the primary driving force behind the music with the keyboards complimenting well.  Even with the small improvements, there are still some holes that the band needs to address if they wish to maintain their staying power, many of which can be solved by taking their sound another step forward.

It is true that Midnattsol is improving in many facets of their sound.  However, they still have some things to do before they can be considered among the elite. In some cases, music is something that takes years to perfect and Midnattsol is on its way to that goal.  It’ll be interesting what the band does for the crucial third album and whether or not they continue to make progress. In the meantime, Nordlys would find a good home in the CD collection.

Release Date: March 28th, 2008
Label: Napalm Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Open Your Eyes
2.  Skogens Lengsel
3.  Northern Light
4.  Konkylie
5.  Wintertimes
6.  Race of Time
7.  New Horizon
8.  River of Virgin Soil
9.  En Natt I Nord

Total playing time: 50:01

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