A year after a concept album based on
Edgar Allan Poe’s "Annabel Lee" titled
Emptiness,
Alesana released a second concept record based on a classic poem.
A Place Where the Sun Is Silent finds the North Carolina screamo group turning to the first part of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, "Inferno," for inspiration. The band’s dramatic first Epitaph release tracks the protagonist's decent to Hell, and matches the weighty theme with the scorching riffs, soaring melodies, and heavy breakdowns that traditionally make up
Alesana’s slick, fiery style. Wide arrangements (horns, string sections, and a children’s choir) and a long running time of 62 minutes make it feel highly ambitious, yet it’s much like the last couple outings musically, with
Shawn Milke and Dennis Lee centering it all, trading curdling screams and wispy vocal hooks. All in all, they seem invigorated by the subject matter, and deliver a nice take on the material. ~ Jason Lymangrover