Artist: Gronholm 
   Title: Silent Out Loud
   Label: Lion Music

Gronholm is the brainchild of Mika Grönholm (guitar, bass and keyboards) and 'Silent Out Loud' is the album on which he brings his song writing skills to the forefront and on whole new level again.  We see him being joined by Status Minor’s Markku Kuikka on vocals, along with Tom Rask on drums, making the nucleus of the band, with guest spots from Billy Sherwood (ex-Yes), Marco Hietala (Nightwish), Zach Hietala, Janne Tolsa, Michael Henneken and Jasse Merivirta.

With this album Grönholm has gone for a harder edge, brought about as the man himself explains ...  “All the songs on 'Silent Out Loud' are tuned down to low B.  Sometimes B-tuning is used for roaring vocals or lighting fast guitar parts, but no, not this time.  With this tuning I was seeking more power and energy to my riffs” ...

This is just the half of it, as the album is actually split into two halves, with both full on electric and acoustic pieces.  The album opens up with ‘Cross Of Mind’, which from the beginning highlights the heavier approach Grönholm has taken with this opus.  A huge guitar sound driven on by the stunning vocals of Kuikka, all go to make this an opener to savour.

The album powers on through with ‘Distorted Eyes’, again a huge guitar driven track that just ignites the senses with its huge orchestrations and massive rhythm section, with just a hint of prog metal thrown in the mix for good measure.

The thunderous tunes just keep coming with the darker edged ‘Under My Star’, again featuring Grönholm with that tuned down low B just grinding out the big riffs. Then it's time for Sherwood to make his mark on proceedings on the wonderful ‘Vanity’, with backing vocals by Marco Hietala bringing the perfect shade of the dark to Sherwood’s light.  This is Prog Metal of the highest order.

Things continue to impress with the stunning ‘Out From The Nest’, this time Kuikka and Sherwood both feature on this one.  A track that just sweeps you away on a magical carpet ride of rich vocals, power driven rhythms and wave after wave of exceptional guitar work.  This Progressive ear-candy.

The 'Race Is On' is the last of the full on rock tracks on the album.  A real up-tempo melody rich rocker, then it's ‘Giant Step’, a refreshing but still edgy instrumental interlude, that set things up nicely for the final three tracks of the album.

The first of which is ‘Set The Stones’, a great track with rich harmonies laid down with a melting acoustic guitar. The second is the instrumental almost folkish ‘Dawn Of A Dream’, before this tremendous release closes with the haunting ‘Away’, which wraps up a truly awe-inspiring album.

Tracklisting:

1. Cross Of Mind
2. Distorted Eyes
3. Under My Star
4. Vanity
5. Out From The Nest
6. Race Is On
7. Giant Step
8. Set The Stones
9. Dawn Of A Dream
10. Away

                   

 

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