Every now and then there comes a band from the social media to be reviewed. I have to admit this is a brend way of knowing bands that I haven’t recognized before. Just not a thing of my generation, if you know what I mean. But that’s just okay. Life goes on and on. That’s the way I met Metalite, for instance. I saw them on FB and later a partner sent me the files. Today we’ve got one more of them. It’s Silent Winter with “Utopia.” The difference here is that I saw their video at YouTube just a while before the files were sent me. I was listening to some music – I always listen to YouTube while I’m doing my house chores. I confess it attracted me a lot and I was very happy when I got the EPK. Well, it is great when the expectations turn out to be real. This album is a hell of an album. Just the way I love my Power Metal. It’s powerful; it’s catchy; it’s melodic; it has great guitars. Silent Winter are a melt of Judas Priest’s “Painkiller” era with Hammerfall, and maybe, just maybe some Helloween. The melody is just about Hammerfall. The power is pure Judas Priest. Just beside that the love for Metal music as “Hands Held High” tells us all. Just a reminder, for me, Hammerfall is pure Manowar, but I guess the emotional content here is more of Hammerfall.
“Utopia” with all its guns blazing in “We Burn the Future” with important words about what humankind are facing now, and will face in the coming future. “Hellstorm” introduces a more modern grip with some keyboards interwoven with big guitars and a catchy chorus plus a melody that will get to your eyes. It’s the perfect combination of Judas Priest’s vocals with Hammerfall‘s emotion plus the modern features I aforementioned. By the way, it’s the video I saw on YouTube. “Hands Held High” could have come from a Hammerfall‘s album with its piano and strong choruses to be sang along. It helps a lot the guitars playing the theme. Killer, just killer song. To be played high, very high. Time to disturb that neighbor of yours who plays all that crap all day long. I love that kind of pace with only the bass slow galloping and the drums to reach a crescendo with the guitars. Not new, but it always surprises. I have to praise the vocals of Mike Livas as he manages perfectly all the emotion and technique to give us an unforgetable time. Even in minor tracks as “Reign of the Tyrants” he shines. With “Manifest of God” the band forgets all its Hammerfall influences to embrace totally Judas Priest. The grand finale is the tittle track “Utopia” with that characteristic Power Metal fast drumming learned with the masters of Helloween. Pay attention to the catchy chorus. You might be humming it now.
As I said before this is the way I love my Power Metal. I know I complain a lot about Power Metal being predictable, but it’s only an act when I receive one more Rhapsody copy. Silent Winter with “Utopia” is just what I like.
P.S. – Silent Winter have an agenda. That’s great of them.
Silent Winter “Utopia” was released on November 22th via No Remorse Records.
Track Listing:
- We Burn the Future
- Hellstorm
- Hands Held High
- Reign of the Tyrants
- Manifest of God
- Reborn
- Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
- Silent Shadows
- Utopia
Watch “Silent Shadows” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!