Artist: SENTENCED
Album: "THE COLD WHITE LIGHT (CD)"

Year: 2002
Media type: CD

This is the eighth release from Sentenced. Produced by Hill Hiilesmaa (Moonspell, Theatre of Tragedy). 11 tracks and the bonus enhanced video to 'Killing Me Killing You'. 2002.

Still there was no rest for the wicked, and SENTENCED were not satisfied to rest on their earlier success. They recruited the charismatic Ville Laihiala and returned with the sensational "Down" in 1996. "Down" finally ended the chapter "death metal" for the reformed five-piece band. Taneli's deep rumpling voice was replaced by Ville's warm and clear delivery. The dark-maned Finn immediately put his own touch to the new melancholic and pain-ridden songs. Caught between anger and despair, "Down" offered more than once suicide as the only way out. While that theme became something of a trademark, SENTENCED more or less toyed full of self-irony and biting sarcasm with the melancholic stance of their fellow countryman - likely caused by too many dark days in wintertime. A simultaneous change of singer and style meant truly taking a dare, but for SENTENCED it turned out to be a lucky one. The band kept most of their old fans and added a considerable number of new followers to their camp. From now on SENTENCED released top-records in a quiet regular rhythm of two years. "Frozen" (1998) followed "Down" and delivered a more precise and refined version of the new formula. Next up "Crimson" (2000) added a mighty dose of bitterness and finally "The Cold White Light" (2002) took this special SENTENCED-sound to a new peak: The perfectly interlacing stringwork of guitar-duo Lopakka & Tenkula gave the band's desolate picture a shining silver frame. Melodic beasts of groove were driven by Ville's electrifying voice, embodying the pain of broken hearts and seeming to drown easily in streams of alcohol at the same time. SENTENCED manage to use all those cliches of their homeland to better effect without ever appearing stereotyped. It was quite the other way around - while the band matured into a young adult it created some of their most breathtaking songs like the poison-dripping "Excuse Me While I Kill Myself" or the sadness filled "Cross My Heart And Hope To Die". It is beyond doubt, that SENTENCED as masters of melancholy in their second incarnation delivered a decisive impulse, that others successfully turned into poppier sounds like HIM, Charon or even The Rasmus - yet SENTENCED remained always true to the metal-genre.

TRACKLIST:

1. Konevitsan Kirkonkellot
2. Cross My Heart And Hope To Die
3. Brief Is The Light
4. Neverlasting
5. Aika Multaa Muistot (Everything Is Nothing)
6. Excuse Me While I Kill Myself
7. Blood & Tears
8. You Are The One
9. Guilt And Regret
10. The Luxury Of A Grave
11. No One There

LINE-UP:

Ville Laihiala – vocals
Miika Tenkula – guitar
Sami Lopakka – guitar
Sami Kukkohovi – bass guitar
Vesa Ranta – drums