Silent Exile - Dancing With Death

Year of Release: 2000
Label: Naivlys Music
Catalog Number: CD SE0001
Format: CD
Total Time: 47:19:00

And out of the blue comes this fantastic new progressive metal band, Silent Exile. A 5-piece from Montreal, Canada, formed back in 1996. I really love surprises like this, when a new independent band comes along and blows you away like Silent Exile did with me. As you understand, this is their debut.

As mentioned this is melodic prog metal, but although this is the main categorisation, there is so much more to their music than just that. The music is dominated by clever guitar and keyboard arrangements, in addition to some really superb melody and vocal-lines. Silent Exile has done the masterpiece of mixing influences of old and new prog rock/metal with hints of pomp and AOR, as well as a constantly present symphonic touch. The mix is really interesting, like nothing I have heard before, although presented in a really accessible setting. The most resent and closest comparison would be that it sometimes (not often though) reminds me of a heavier version of ACT.

The melody-lines are amazing, coming off emotive, atmospheric and with emphasis on MELODY. The song structures are full of breaks, time changes and some instrumental passages. The mid-ranged vocals are good as well and varied. The mid-ranged vocalist Chriss J.Y sometimes reminds me of the vocalist in the US indie band Inside Out. My only complaint, though, is the production, which could be better, but being an indie release, this is fairly good.

Dancing With Death shows a reflected, mature, young band that has come a long way. They are definitely ready for bigger tasks and if there's any justice in the world, they should be picked up by a label immediately.

[This review originally appeared May 2003 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
The Brain Dance (0:46) / Walls Of Society (6:43) / Stratosphere (8:12) / Broken Dreams (4:15) / On The Hill (5:52) / Glase Maakerstraat (8:02) / Images Of War Thunder On Ashland (6:58) - Silent Witness (7:51)

Musicians:
Chriss J.Y. - vocals
Fabrice Blanchet - guitars
Cedric Rioux - keyboards
Sylvain Gagnon - bass
Denis Ainsley - drums

Discography:
Dancing With Death (2000)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin CA

Added: February 20th 2005
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Artist website: www.silentexile.com
Hits: 2201
Language: english