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Moonlight agony - Silent Waters
Moonlight Agony - Silent Waters - Massacre Records -2007
Moonlight Agony is a symphonic/progressive/power metal band hailing from Sweden. Silent Waters represents the group's sophomore effort and follow-up to 2004's Echoes of a Nightmare. With that said, I'm happy to report that Moonlight Agony does not suffer from the all too tragic sophomore slump.
By now about half of the reading audience has been eliminated by the use of the words "symphonic" and "power metal." Those of you who remain, however, are in for a treat, as Moonlight Agony is not typical of the aforementioned genres. Silent Waters manages to avoid the cheesiness that oftentimes plagues that genre (Rhapsody, Dragonforce, etc.) and manages to take itself seriously. While the band utilizes keyboards, the keyboard performance is reserved and does not overwhelm the band's overall sound. This is, for the most part, a riff oriented symphonic metal band that employs atmospheric and occasionally soaring keyboards. However, when the keyboards carry the melody it is to great effect.
David Akkesson turns in a very solid vocal performance by utilizing his emotional raspy, clean vocal delivery. His versatility is on particular display during "You Betrayed Me" and "I'm Alive". The band's composition skills are highlighted during the wonderful symphonic interlude in "Different Stories." While in "Bloodred Sails" the band manages to find a little thrashy groove and display a darker feeling to their music, which I hope they explore further in future releases. Finally, the band closes out the album in true epic fashion. "Solemn Waters" opens with a menacing keyboard line that sounds like Dimmu Borgir meets Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Although Silent Waters loses its momentum during the middle of the disc, the band manages to grab your attention and finish strong. Overall, Silent Waters makes for a very entertaining listen and is recommended for any fans of the genre.
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