Infernal

It's doubtful that power metal will ever regain the huge commercial momentum it enjoyed in the '80s, when bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Queensrÿche sold millions of albums. But the power metal revival movement of the '90s and 2000s has enjoyed a small cult following, especially in Europe -- nothing to rival the sales of Queensrÿche's Operation: Mindcrime or Priest's Screaming for Vengeance back in the day, but not something to be ashamed of either. Most of today's power metal revival bands offer an exact replica of power metal as it was known in the late '70s and early '80s; on Infernal, however, Silent Voices adds a bit of thrash to the mix. This Finnish band is power metal first and foremost, but the interesting thing is the way they manage to incorporate both progressive rock and thrash at the same time. If Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, and King Diamond are the main ingredients, Silent Voices sees to it that some tasty extra ingredients come in the form of Rush, Kansas, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer as well as Metallica, Megadeth, and Venom. That thrash edge gives Infernal (which was recorded in Helsinki in 2003) a tougher, dirtier quality than you get with most of Europe's power metal revival discs; these guys rock aggressively hard, but at the same time, Infernal is undeniably melodic. Loud and forceful, certainly, but melodic nonetheless. Describing Infernal as interesting isn't saying that what Silent Voices does on this CD is innovative; the Finns are retro and derivative, but derivative in a good way -- and their refusal to sacrifice either melody or forcefulness serves them pleasingly well on Infernal.