Aivan Kuten Kaikki Muutkin was considerably different from the previous year's
Kolme in its production; the songs had more hit potential and the sound was incredibly improved. These past recordings by
Apulanta were good, and hearing this progression in action proves that
Apulanta had chosen the right path.
Plastik, however, takes that concept considerably further. There really are no surprising elements in the songs, except that for the first time a string orchestra has a big part on an
Apulanta album. That wouldn't hurt in little bits, but strings are used in far too many songs, making the music overly dramatic. "Käännä Se Pois" and "Odotus" are two such songs, where Wirtanen and the large orchestra try to catch the listener's attention with angst-filled lyrics and minor chords. They really are impressive songs, make no mistake about it, but in the long run that only makes them hugely frustrating. As for the other kinds of songs on
Plastik,
Apulanta shows that the band can still play basic hard rock. "Ei Yhtään Todistajaa," the absolute highlight on
Plastik, is guitar-ridden and intentionally left to sound unfinished. Unfortunately, that is the only point on
Plastik that fully engages the listener. The other songs are all lacking in some areas, therefore making
Plastik a really hollow album and showing that
Apulanta made a mistake in using far too much production. However,
Plastik is not a complete failure. It has potential, some really good songs, and lots of material that most
Apulanta fans could align with. While not a good introductory album for those unfamiliar with earlier
Apulanta,
Plastik still left great expectations for the band's next album. ~ Antti J. Ravelin