SILENT KNIGHT – Full Force

The hard-hitting Australian power metallers Silent Knight released this positively bombastic and fiery eight-track offering of theirs last month, and I must say that I find this spirited affair rather charming and entertaining. Galloping riffs, melodic solos, punchy drums, and soaring vocals are the name of the game here, and one can easily tell that such legendary acts as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Jag Panzer, and arguably also US thrash metal serve as sources of inspiration to Silent Knight, which is a good thing in case you were wondering. Full Force will not win this outfit any points for originality, but I honestly think that they could not give a rat’s ass about that either. Simply put, these skilled dudes are all about crafting huge-sounding epics filled with muscular riffs, strong hooks, and pummeling passages designed to make that ugly mug of yours nod in approval and get those feet of yours tapping along to the thunderous rhythm section. Yes, this is some cool and catchy stuff for sure, and even though it is quite over the top and incorporates all the tropes (and some might say cliches) associated with classic heavy metal and power metal, it is a fun listen. If you are on the lookout for a solid album that is both majestic and memorable, this one is for you. Tunes such as ‘Awakening’, ‘The Last Candle Burns’, and the title track really work for me, and you ought to find out if they work for you too. The album artwork and title basically say it all.