The Great Divide

The Great Divide, released on 17 October 2014, is the fourth album, drawing melodic metal's drama through two richly individual voices, grand keyboards and thick guitar. The voices do not only compete: they divide the roles within a song and build a rise and fall like a story. There was a large change here. Magnus Karlsson, having written the trilogy through, departed, and Timo Tolkki of Stratovarius took over guitars, bass, keyboards, writing and production. Jami Huovinen replaced Salazar on drums. Four years had passed — the longest gap in the series. Of ten songs across fifty minutes, four are duets and the rest are three apiece. This was also the first time Lande contributed vocal melodies and lyrics. It holds both the lift of the choruses and a balladic lyricism, with the lavishness only such a project brings. The advance track was “Lady of Winter,” and “Down from the Mountain” got a lyric video. In 2019 Lande said he had no intention of continuing Allen/Lande any further, and the series closes here. For anyone who wants melodic metal built around the expression of the voice.