Released by: AFM Records
Release date: dec.13th 2013 (Europe) / jan.21st 2014 (US)
Genre: Melodic Power Metal
Links: https://www.facebook.com/silentforceofficial
Line up:
– Alex Beyrodt (guitars)
– Michael Bormann (vocals)
– Mat Sinner (bass)
– Alessandro Del Vecchio (keys)
– André Hilgers (drums)
Tracklist:
01. Caught In Their Wicked Game
02. There Ain’t No Justice
03. Circle Of Trust
04. Living To Die
05. Before You Run
06. You Gotta Kick It
07. Turn Me Loose
08. Born To Be A Fighter
09. Anytime Anywhere
10. Kiss Of Death
Bonustrack on ltd. Digipak: “I’m Gonna Rescue You”
Well, the title speaks for itself. After an almost 7 year hiatus german melodic metal outfit Silent Force returns to the scene with a highly anticipated new release. Founder and leader of the band Alex Beyrodt indicated that this long break “was necessary to rebuild the band and get rid of all false ascendancy”.
After Beyrodt’s stint with Primal Fear and Sinner but above all after his successful classic hardrock band Voodoo Circle it was time to break the long silence and return with a melodic metal feast that easily continues where the band left off all these years ago. With the ‘return’ of vocalist Michael Bormann, who was the singer on the 1998 pre-Silent Force group ‘The Sygnet’, and band veteran drummer André Hilgers, its all systems go on this addictive record.
Within this genre of melodic (power) metal, certainly if you add some pleasant sounding AOR influences, it’s like grabbing candy in a jar: you know what you will get. Sometimes the flavors may be a bit different but overall it’s sweet as hell. So if you’re looking for something more out of the box you should search elsewhere.
The album inmediately kicks off with full force: flashy guitar work from Alex and catchy keyboards by Alessandro Del Vecchio set the tone here in the best Rainbow/Malmsteen tradition. From then on you’ll get an endless (well, 10 tracks and 11 on the ltd edition digipack) flow of blistering, uptempo tracks that urge you to shout along. Add further an excellent production (mixing and mastering was done by Achim Köhler), a sometimes delightfull 80’s feel (at least if you’re my age) and finally a superb musicianship and you have all the ingredients necessary for a killer album.
Personally though I would have seen a bit more musical adventure here and there. For example the rhythm section does a decent job here but is a bit too ‘invisible’ and when Alessandro starts a promising, almost prog like keyboard solo on ‘Living To Die’ it is sadly short lived.
Bottom line: Silent Force did indeed rise from the ashes with dignity. This pumping, uncomplicated and all-but-fun record has all the trademarks a genre-fan could wish for so it should definitely find a place in your collection. Let’s hope though that the force will not be silent again afterwards.
Written by: Ruud
Ratings Ruud 8/10
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