AFM
2007
1. Man & Machine
2. Walk the Earth
3. Point of No Return
4. In From the Dark
5. The King of Fools
6. The Child Within
7. Goodbye My Ghost
8. Save Me From Myself
9. My Independence Day
10. Blind Leading the Blind
11. Running Through the Fire
12. Picture of a Shadow
After 3 years, Silent Force return with this, their fourth album now through AFM records. This band is probably most notable for having DC Cooper on vocals who has earned something of a reputation for himself in European power circles, though he is himself from the US. I've been a fan of his work since Royal Hunt and he truly is an amazing singer. Anything with DC at the helm immediately earns at least a listen from me.
In a way this band reminds me of the reverse of Kamelot in that the singer for Silent Force is the only American member, where as in Kamelot the singer is the European member in an American power band. Sort of a rarity seeing such a split in the origins of the members as it's hard to work out such an arrangement for obvious reasons. There are also some musical reminders of that band in that the music is flowing european styled but also has a bit more muscle to the guitar than is typical of this sort of keyboard laden power metal. It's not exactly Grave Digger or anything, but the guitar makes itself known more than most. Also the vocals aren't that far removed in that they're definitely on the light and emotive side and the music does follow suit at times before picking up once again.
In terms of this album, I think this is a solid step up from the last on which I thought the songwriting was kind of lacking in power and energy. This one seems to step it up a notch as the songs are mostly uptempo and feature some very standout solos that simply shred. The songs upbeat energy in the guitar department tend to give the songs staying power and DC's vocals and the keyboard presence give this album a soaring feel that should appeal to fans of his work in Royal Hunt. I really don't hear any weak tracks on this album and it comes off as a solid listening experience. The European power scene is a crowded one and you need something to stand out, but between having one hell of a strong vocalist and some solid guitar solos I think this album has the strength to do it.
In conclusion, if you like keyboard heavy power metal where the guitar presence is still felt like Kamelot and Angel Dust then this is for you. It's good to see DC Cooper's talent not going to waste on this fine release. Fans of his past work would be advised to check this one out certainly.
Highlights: Walk The Earth, Point Of No Return, The Child Within
Rating - 3.5/5
2. Walk the Earth
3. Point of No Return
4. In From the Dark
5. The King of Fools
6. The Child Within
7. Goodbye My Ghost
8. Save Me From Myself
9. My Independence Day
10. Blind Leading the Blind
11. Running Through the Fire
12. Picture of a Shadow
After 3 years, Silent Force return with this, their fourth album now through AFM records. This band is probably most notable for having DC Cooper on vocals who has earned something of a reputation for himself in European power circles, though he is himself from the US. I've been a fan of his work since Royal Hunt and he truly is an amazing singer. Anything with DC at the helm immediately earns at least a listen from me.
In a way this band reminds me of the reverse of Kamelot in that the singer for Silent Force is the only American member, where as in Kamelot the singer is the European member in an American power band. Sort of a rarity seeing such a split in the origins of the members as it's hard to work out such an arrangement for obvious reasons. There are also some musical reminders of that band in that the music is flowing european styled but also has a bit more muscle to the guitar than is typical of this sort of keyboard laden power metal. It's not exactly Grave Digger or anything, but the guitar makes itself known more than most. Also the vocals aren't that far removed in that they're definitely on the light and emotive side and the music does follow suit at times before picking up once again.
In terms of this album, I think this is a solid step up from the last on which I thought the songwriting was kind of lacking in power and energy. This one seems to step it up a notch as the songs are mostly uptempo and feature some very standout solos that simply shred. The songs upbeat energy in the guitar department tend to give the songs staying power and DC's vocals and the keyboard presence give this album a soaring feel that should appeal to fans of his work in Royal Hunt. I really don't hear any weak tracks on this album and it comes off as a solid listening experience. The European power scene is a crowded one and you need something to stand out, but between having one hell of a strong vocalist and some solid guitar solos I think this album has the strength to do it.
In conclusion, if you like keyboard heavy power metal where the guitar presence is still felt like Kamelot and Angel Dust then this is for you. It's good to see DC Cooper's talent not going to waste on this fine release. Fans of his past work would be advised to check this one out certainly.
Highlights: Walk The Earth, Point Of No Return, The Child Within
Rating - 3.5/5
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