Released By : Self Released
Genre : Gothic Metal
Links : http://www.myspace.com/silentmemoriesbcn
Lineup:
Diego – Guitar
Mary – Vocals
Alvaro – Bass
Jerry – Drums
Tracklist:
1. Soul Pain
2. Too Late
3. Thoughts Lost
4. Underskinned
5. Sleep
6. Let Me Be
7. Heaven’s Waiting
Before you read too far into this review, something you need to know about me is that in the past I have been very hard on female vocalists, and the honest truth is that there have been very few across my musical journey that have really impressed me. I’ve also found that it’s even harder for me to get into female vocalists that sing in the operatic falsetto style voice that is used by Mary Romero on this new self-funded E.P from Barcelona’s SILENT MEMORIES.
The band plays a style of Operatic Gothic Metal that obviously lends itself to EVANSCENCE, but some extra elements like the occasional male growl vocals and the odd Thrash Metal influenced guitar riffs ensure that they are doing enough to stand away a little bit from the crowd and hone in on a bit of a unique sound. The problem I’m having though is that the vocals are really not doing it for me. English isn’t Mary Romero’s native language and it shows with the mix of some awkward accent issues and some pitchy singing. I’m sure when Romero sings in her native tongue of Spanish she sounds great, and in front of an opera she would sound right at home, but I don’t think she’s the right fit for SILENT MEMORIES if they are going to try and appeal to the English speaking masses.
All is not lost though as there is still some redeeming features on the E.P. The songwriting in general is quite strong and serves as a decent backbone that at times creates a genuine dark and moody atmosphere. Also tracks like the speedy TOO LATE and the polar opposite balladry of SLEEP show that SILENT MEMORIES are at least doing some of the things right.
I’m not sure what the solution is here, because I really feel that Mary Romero is not suited to front an English Language metal band and I’m sure the rest of the guys in the band are happy to keep things as they are. I think that SILENT MEMORIES should maybe go back to singing in Spanish and they could well be one of Barcelona’s biggest bands, or spend some more time finessing the vocals and make another ploy for some wider recognition.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 6/10
About Author
