After opening Nine on a convoluted and disappointing note (actually, a whole fast and furious slew of them) with "Dark Mind," Platitude eventually regains the momentum the seven-man Scandinavian progressive-metal outfit built up on 2003's Secrets of Life. Platitude gets back on track with the solid riffs of "Oblivion," and by the time the dream-like mid-tempo rocker "Halcyon Days" plays out, the refrain will become so embedded in your head that you'll wake up hearing it the next morning. (I did, at least.) Further into Nine, "Avalon Farewell" sounds like Evergrey, thanks to singer Erik "EZ" Blomkvist's Tom S. Englund tendencies, particularly during the song's verses, while "Skies of Xenon" and "Aeronautica" help the album reach its apex with soaring feel-good choruses. "Starlight" and an uncredited track wrap up the album on an even more spirited note. Platitude's dual guitars and keyboards/synths add depth and variety to most of these songs.
With Nine, Platitude has made a memorable progressive-metal album, one that (just like its predecessor) reveals fresh insight with each listen. I'm excited about where these guys are going…
Track Listing:
1) Dark Mind (3:25)
2) Trust (3:05)
3) Oblivion (3:13)
4) Halcyon Days (4:45)
5) Catch 22 (3:42)
6) Avalon Farewell (6:07)
7) Skies of Xenon (3:51)
8) Falling (6:10)
9) Aeronautica (3:37)
10) Endless (3:45)
11) Starlight (7:59)
Total Time: 49:44
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