One has to admire what Sailing to Nowhere attempts. They take the melodic power metal themes of Stratovarius, Kamelot, and Sonata Arctica and create this peculiar semblance of feeling despondent with notable rock hooks throughout. That's as deep as the style goes, because the group doesn't capitalize on intensifying things barring the occasional excellent solo or above-average chorus. The vocalist situation is also something unique-both a male and a female lead handle microphone duty-but again, there isn't much to exploit the unearthed potential of having this two-pronged approach. It's disappointing, because the duo sounds fine independently, but stellar when they collide. Sailing to Nowhere can't reach higher despite having the arms, and "To the Unknown" in the end feels not wholly conceptualized.

Nothing shakes the collective underperformance that is everywhere. The production, for instance, isn't terrible, but it sounds typical for another record rushed out of an overpopulated niche (see: Italy's power metal scene). The guitar tone is underdone, the snare sounds flat, and the trading vocalists come off as wooly when both meet on the same notes. Bridges that give the impression that the well-timed escalation of the music will lead to an erupting chorus or smoothly change the pace often drop off in anticlimactic fashion when the group just has to do something, anything to take advantage. The situations Sailing to Nowhere reaches because of its semi-unique style are left out to sea, and the failure to capitalize on themes that are begging to be fleshed out hits harder than any blow "To the Unknown" could have dealt.