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'Signal To
Noise' is the fifth release from one of Scandinavia’s premier progressive
rock band White Willow. With this new release we see a change in
vocalists in the shape of new singer Trude Eidtang, who brings a more
refreshing modern sound to the bands overall persona with her Kate Bush/Enya
vocal style.
The album itself
was completed in just three weeks, which is pretty quick as the bands
previous albums have usually take at least a year to complete. The
album itself is one of supreme majesty, with some quite fantastic moments
from all aspects of the band.
Opening up with
‘Night Surf’, a dark atmospheric piece that quickly highlights the vocals
of Eidtang as her haunting melodies ring out, the track builds and gathers
momentum as it comes to its guitar fuelled ending.
The next track
‘Splinters’ is another mood driven track and once again the sheer
brilliance of Eidtang’s vocals reign supreme, another tour de force by the
band.
Things then take
a dark turn with the instrumental ‘Ghosts’. A track that highlights
some excellent musicianship by both Lars Fredrik on keys and Jacob Holm-Lupo
on guitars.
The album then
continues with the upbeat ‘Joyride’, a song with a much more pop rock feel
to it, although things return to the progressive side with another
chilling vocal from Eidtang on ‘The Lingering’. Those fantastic
vocals and haunting melodies just keep on coming with ‘The Dark Road’ and
‘Chrome Dawn’, once again two fantastic songs with the first of the two
bringing in a little Celtic feel to the ending and the second being a very
spiritual instrumental, with heavy emphasis on the keyboards.
‘Dusk City’ is
probably my favourite track off the whole album, with another fine vocal
performance by the star of the album for me Trude Eidtang.
The album closes with
‘Ararat’ a short track with definite Eastern promise and rounds off what
can only be described as a progressive masterpiece.
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