Progressive power metal is a strange subgenre of metal for me because I rarely listen to it, yet I feel like I have a strong grasp on whether or not an album is worthy of praise. I have a healthy appreciation for the style, while never really craving it. Silent Edge is one of those bands that is worthy of acclaim. DVS Records has been doing an admirable job of digging up quality unknown acts and giving them their fair spotlight, and that trend continues with this Dutch four-piece band.
As with nearly every prog band that formed within the past decade, there is a healthy dose of Dream Theater influence. But this is more than just overbearing musical prowess. You can expect to find some neoclassical styling, occasional Middle Eastern interludes, and a ballad or two. Most promising, though, is their driving rhythm section (rhythm guitar included), which evokes early Evergrey when they allow them to run free. The players are all more than capable enough to handle this style of metal. Emo Suripatty handles all the guitar and bass work with gusto, shredding when the need exists. All the while, Minggus Gaspersz runs wild on the keys just as you’d expect him to. Willem Verwoert’s vocals have an 80’s rock feel to them, maybe sounding like the guy from Survivor or The Scorpions. The vox sound very familiar, yet I’m having a hard time placing them. This being prog/power, you know that the production will be excellent.
“For Ancient Times” stands out as a blueprint for how to write an outstanding epic song. There are triumphant riffs, gripping vocals, and ambitious sections that go far off the beaten path, like the beautiful, eastern-influenced keyboard exposition in the middle of the song. “Rebellion” is a long track (9 minutes in length) of power/speed metal goodness, with a substantial instrumental section that rocks as hard as Dream Theater ever has. I don’t have much negative to say about this album because right now I have a pretty positive impression about it. A few songs are a tad halfhearted, but on the whole, this is a quite solid effort.
The Eyes of the Shadow is a grower of an album. The first cursory listen I gave it revealed an album that I felt had a few moments of glory, but felt uninspired. But, each successive, focused listen unveiled more and more brilliant subtleties. This album won’t suck you in like a black hole, but it is quite rewarding if listened to with some attention paid. Now I feel secure in recommending Silent Edge to anyone interested in the style.