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?Nightmares In The Waking State - Part II' is in fact not a 'new' album, in the strict sense of the word. Both Part I and II were actually recorded at the same time, as 'one' long album, but since we didn't want to release it as a regular double album, we decided to split it into two separate releases instead, to make it a bit more interesting. Compared to Part I maybe Part II has a slightly more melodic touch. Lyrically it's core matter is based around 'struggle' and the art of fighting your way through the tough times in life. We've all been there and we will all most likely end up there again some day. Life is often a really dark and nasty place and we'd like to see 'Nightmares In The Waking State - Part I & II' as our soundtrack to that!“ – Solution .45

When Christian ?lvestam (Miseration, Torchbearer, Unmoored, ex-Scar Symmetry) and Jani Stefanovic (Miseration) got together to write some modern-metal jams in 2007, nobody expected that only a few years later would yield the avalanche that is SOLUTION .45.

At the time, the two got together with producer and long-time collaborator Thomas "Plec" Johansson (Watain, Mattias Ia Eklundh, Night Flight Orchestra, Scar Symmetry, Eskimo Callboy) and demoed what would be the first few songs of the group's upcoming album. Coupling heavy riffs with melodic choruses and utilising a 'multivocal' approach is something ?lvestam and Stefanovic were not strangers to, but doing so on the scale of SOLUTION .45 was another story.

Being impressed with the unfinished demo songs, Germany's AFM Records and Japan's Marquee/Avolon Inc signed the band to record deals in 2009. With these in place, the band went back to Plec's Panic Room Productions to finally record their debut album. Entitled "For Aeons Past", and, released in March 2010, SOLUTION .45's first full-length effort was unanimously praised by critics and fans as a triumphantly infectious, yet meaty release that the metal scene needed.

In late 2011, SOLUTION .45 were invited to play the legendary ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta, Georgia. The band flew over to the USA to play its first show ever in September 2012 — some had flown in from as far as Japan just to see the performance. The festival appearance was a revitalisation for the band, keeping an already fresh act even more relevant in the eyes of its fans.

The first sketches for demos for ?Nightmares In The Waking State – Part I & Part II“ began in early 2013 and were promising. It was clear from the very start that the new album would give fans what they expected and then some, as well as a lot more unexpected elements. The band had a unified vision for the new album. They wanted it to be darker and more aggressive. They wanted to develop the sound found on “For Aeons Past”.

Negotiations started with AFM Records, with the band letting them know that they were in the middle of writing new material. Along the way, the band just kept on writing until they realised that they had more than enough for one album; too many good songs to just throw away. That′s when the idea of making a double album came to mind. After further negotiations with their label (AFM Records), it was agreed. SOLUTION .45 would make two albums in one go. The double album would be split into two separate releases; a Part I and a Part II release.

The band entered The Dug-out studios in September 2014 with will-reputed Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, In Flames, Soilwork, Darkane) behind the wheel to record the drums. Nineteen songs were tracked by Rolf Pilve. The band was finally on the move.

Guitars, bass and vocals were being tracked at full speed. Deadlines were established, mixing and mastering dates were booked, and cover designs were being drafted by the well-reputed P?r Olofsson. In June 2015, the band finally entered The Panic-Room Studios with their friend and long-time collaborator Thomas "Plec" Johansson (Watain, Mattias Ia Eklundh, Night Flight Orchestra, Scar Symmetry, Eskimo Callboy.

At the beginning of the process, the band desired to develop their sound from “For Aeons Past”, but the end result turned out to be so much more. After hearing the final results, the band quickly realised what they had accomplished. The new direction contained all the ingredients “For Aeons Past” was known for but with added groove, aggression and darker elements. A dynamic journey from soft moody parts to soaring aggressive, darker elements. The end result was something that older fans would find familiar with a heavy dose of “and then some”.