WHERE STORIES END

3.5 stars. "Where Stories End" is DARKWATER's followup to the amazing debut, and it's regarded by most to be just as good as the first one and I think it's close but...while I felt the debut ran out of steam part way through then picked back up this one has even more of those average sounding tracks but only a couple more. So yeah i've enjoyed this for the most part but the excitement I had with their debut didn't happen at all here. More of the same I suppose, plus i've been listening to a lot of DAY SIX's latest which for me is a better Prog-Metal album and it's hard not to compare when i'm listening to them during the same week.

"Breathe" opens with synths but it turns heavy quickly.Vocals after a minute. A good start. "Why I Bleed" opens with strings then it kicks in.Vocals before 2 minutes. I'm just not feeling it with these first two tracks.Strings end it. "Into The Cold" has a good heavy sound with an orchestral flavour though.Vocals after a minute.The best part of this track is the instrumental section beginning before 4 minutes. A calm follows but not for long.Vocals are back before 6 minutes. "A Fool's Utopia" opens with piano then a heavier sound rolls in followed by vocals.This is a good one.

"Queen Of The Night" is heavy to start as synths join in. I like the atmosphere after 3 minutes. A nice heavy soundscape follows. Excellent tune. "In The Blink Of An Eye" is another heavy track and the guitar sounds great 4 minutes in. Keys a minute later. Atmosphere before 6 minutes to end it. "Fields Of Sorrow" opens with atmosphere as it builds to a heavy sound.Vocals after a minute. It settles back 3 minutes in. It slows down after 4 1/2 minutes but it's still heavy then it picks back up.

"Without A Sound" opens with piano then things turn heavy. Lots of synths and heaviness before 4 minutes. Piano only 5 minutes in then it kicks back in. "Walls Of Deception" is another heavy tune but it's not as good as the last five.

3.5 stars because it's just not doing much for me. I don't look forward to playing this one like I did with the debut.