The second album from Finland's SINAMORE left mixed impressions. On one hand, the expectations formed after the first album "A New Day" were quite unceremoniously trampled. Little remained of the Charon-esque atmosphere of the debut, and the decent quality gothic (or "love" metal, if you prefer) had also mutated. So I spent the first couple of listens convincing myself that the band owes me nothing and nobody promised a smooth evolution. So what did the lads from Suomi come up with? Essentially it's still gothic, but with an obvious lean toward doom a la Katatonia and Paradise Lost. The result is well-crafted, though in my opinion a bit raw. It lacks polish and expressiveness. The music is good, perfectly suited for finding your way out of depression or sinking deeper into it — that's strictly individual. There are no hits, but the genre doesn't exactly imply their presence anyway. All in all, I find it hard to rate. I'll give it something average, and my recommendation goes to fans of late Katatonia and mid-to-late Paradise Lost.
