Here’s a fine classic, heavy yet refined solo album from Symphony X bass man Mike LePond. Silent Assassins. Approached to review this citing Mike’s NWOBHM influences and a signed copy duly arrived in the post. So pleased it did.
I’m a bit of a Symphony X fan anyway though Silent Assassins had passed me by. It’s a dammed fine album. The NWOBHM influences are there aplenty (one can hear Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Tytan, Diamond Head and similar swirling around) but there’s much more to it than that.
I find Silent Assassins to be an excellent, sweeping offering mixing NWOBHM with classic/heavy metal and progressive/symphonic tendencies. The power is mixed with subtleties too. All music and lyrics written by Mike too. A proper top job
I suppose it would have been the easy option for Mike to churn out Symphony X lite. Fair play – he has not done that (though it’s not escaped entirely) and instead put together a series of songs which more than stand up for themselves in his own style. It does help to have “day job” mates to the calibre of Michael Romeo to call on. He blasts out some amazing solo work along with “Metal” Mike Chlasiak who is well up to the mark.
The vocal duties are towering in their own right. What a performance from Alan Tecchio. A name I was not familiar with but what a voice. Power, range, delivery spot on.
And of course Mr LePond’s bass skills are certainly not wasted. He gives himself the opportunity to highlight his own playing talents which are considerable. Listen to the deft touches of the bass-driven introductions to songs like Red Death and Oath of Honour and passages within others such as Masada.
At first I found Silent Assassins a bit of a tough listen. Perseverance has been well rewarded as the power and intricacies of the songs revealed themselves over half a dozen spins or so then it all opened up. Marvellous.
Highlights for me being the opener, Apocalypse Rider – a huge galloping riff-fest. The Quest with the brutal pace and shredding, the subtle, slightly mournful yet enjoyably progressive Masada with what I’ll call quasi-folk passages interlaced with the hard hitting stuff. The title track itself with the huge chanting style chorus and another massive galloping riff, the outrageously catchy Ragnarock. Bl**dy marvellous. Spectacular guitars all over everything.
Here’s the title track for your aural delectation:
Then of course we have the closing track which is often the “killer” cut on many metal/prog albums. Well, it’s a killer of killers I suppose given what’s gone before it – but Oath of Honor is a bit special. A sweeping, sprawling epic of many minutes and many styles. Probably the closest Mike comes to Symphony X territory but keeping a distance to retain this being Mike’s album. It goes this way and that from the serene, gentle opening stretch which slowly builds until the crescendo arrives before giving a wild ride through a massive prog/metal/symphonic rocker.
Very pleased to have been given the pleasure of a review copy. Silent Assassins is up there (it’s December 2015 as I write this) for me with Casablanca’s Miskatonic Graffiti as my album of the year.
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