The Finnish band seemed re-energized with Joutsen, and that energy continues with Silent Waters. The songwriting is even better on this album, combining the intensity of death metal, the complexity of progressive metal and the darkness of gothic metal. The songs are really catchy and memorable with great melodies and musicianship.
It's also an album with a lot of variety. There are songs that are very mainstream and accessible, and others that are more extreme and intense. A range of emotions are portrayed in the atmosphere of the songs, from somber melancholy ballads to emotional mid-tempo songs to angry and intense songs and passages. The vocals are mostly melodic with a few death metal style growls, which add even more diversity to the album. Overall, Silent Waters is even better than last year's effort, which was a 4 star release.
