Horny horntoads what is this?! SYLENT STORM is the not-so-new project of Jym Harris (who is also known for his association with SACRED CHILD and CRUELLA where he did some vocals) in which he fills both the position of the drummer and the vocalist. How cool is that?
So, as you might expect SYLENT STORM is a classic heavy/power metal band that draws its influences from the glory days of the 80’s metal. However, it doesn’t stay there. There are a lot of elements from the 00’s underground scene that make their music even more interesting. SYLENT STORM do not replicate the oversaturated retro sound of nowadays, instead they absorb multiple sounds in order to perfect theirs.
The first track, “Eye of the Storm”, starts with a distinct main riff and reminded me of bands like TROPA DE SHOCK or STEEL WARRIOR, memories which dated back to the mid 90’s. The second track, “Patriots of Metal”, is more mid-tempo and closer to the U.S. scene. With a little imagination it could have been taken from the first GOTHIC KNIGHTS or ZANDELLE album. “Witches Blood” is another mid tempo, more epic tune with various N.W.O.B.H.M. influences and a more occult aura. What follows is an OMEN cover (“The Axeman”) which is nicely done, followed by a fast song in a the vein of “Eye of the Storm”. I really loved the leads in this one and the melodic break in the first and second verse. The finishing track is an instrumental laced with some interesting Celtic tunes.
I’d have to admit the audio production is far from perfect. Yet I couldn’t count this as a drawback since this is an underground release and not another overproduced mainstream crap. The sound has a “live” vibe to it which makes it more organic and enjoyable.
To sum up this is a very nice starter for an EP. It should give the listener a taste of what the band sounds like and it’s quite enjoyable, especially to older listeners.