THE KILLING SILENCE

Typical neo-progressive band. This is their second album with a new lead singer. They didn't really have one on their first album which made it rather weak as far as vocals are concerned. The Killing Silence is well executed and produced. The only thing I find annoying is the sound of the electric guitar. Luckily, the album is more keyboard oriented. Interesting to listen to if you like Pendragon and the like.

This record contains neo-prog music. The excellent male lead & female backing vocals occupy a major place in the music. There is sometimes an artificial piano that sounds a bit ear candy, but it makes rather interesting melodies. I find the music not extremely loaded, and it may lack a bit of bottom and depth; one often feels a certain lack of continuity, sustain and solidarity regarding each instruments. The comparison with Collage's Moonshine, especially regarding the electric guitars and the keyboards, is inevitable and appropriate, except that the Collage's sound is much more powerful, loaded, colorful, deep, sustained and elaborated. Plus, the compositions on Collage's Moonshine are much more complex. I also sometimes find some similitudes with the "Visible Wind" band. Nevertheless, the interesting variety of the modern & attractive keyboards arrangements here allow this record to not fall into a bland art/rock categorization: the keyboards are very pleasant to listen, especially on tracks like "Stand straight". The very melodic and emotional electric guitar, similar to the Collage's one, is however less sustained, echoed and flamboyant; the combination electric guitars-keyboards is however pretty well succeeded here. There is an epic track lasting 16 minutes, "Killing silence", which reminds you, again, Collage. To conclude, let's mention this album can be considered as a very good diluted Collage's album.

I expected a bit more from that band, don't know why. Again they play usual Neo-prog of SHADOWLAND type, with some nice melodic finds, but mostly bordering AOR/Arena- rock. I don't think this is a must - just another good Neo album, which should appeal mostly to the genre's fans (including me). Recommended if you're Neo devotee. Don't try it otherwise - you'll find another cause to complain on Neo.

When I got really started with my "progressive life" in the early nineties the opening track of this album was one of the first things I heard. No second faust was on a Si-sampler and I was really impressed. This was something special !! Now after more than 15 years and about 450 progressive albums it still is very interesting but of course I have heard so much more by now that I wouldn't have been as impressed now as I was then.

Anyway I decided to buy the album and still quite green I was even more impressed mainly with the title track. I heardly ever heard a song this long and this is a true symphonic effort by Egdon Heath. I still like it very much, it's a real classic in my opinion. The rest of the songs is also very good, there are some impressive ballads, it all sounds quite distinguished on one hand caused by the perfectionistic playing of the music but certainly also by the vocalist Jens van der Stempel who forms a nice duo with Elly May in some of the songs.

All in all a tremendous performance by this band and it's still one of my favourite albums. For proggers who like the style in between neo prog and symphonic prog played smoothly and distinguished. 4 stars (4.25)

Killing silence - the pride of Holland's prog music

Egdon Heath are a very underrated band from Holland that plays mostly neo prog with some symphonic elements here and there. Killing silence is their second album from 1991 and a damn good one, maybe the best they ever done. After many listnings i was very impressed by this album, great musicianship great vocals and ideas. Jens van der Stempel has a stunning voice just check out the first 4 pieces No second faust, Tell Me, the smooth T.T.C. and the elegant Waiting For The Outburst. These four pieces are the best from here and among the best i ever heared from a neo prog bad, excellent music. Great key passages through the album combined very strong with guitar interplays, again excellent. So a big album in my opinion, that for some reason never got worlwide recognition, i wonder why, Killing silence pass the test of time very well and now is among the greatest albums of neo prog scene, at least for me. A big 4 stars for this album, desearve to be heared by any prog music conoseur. Recommended

I guess that it has all been said after the opening number: each of the neo prog aspects has been tackled here. With skills for sure. But without passion. That's what I feel while I listen to this album.

There no real weak track but one ("TTC"). But I'm still looking for any brilliance at all?It is not the epic "Killing Silence" that is going to change my mind. This Dutch band plays music like tens of similar ones. No big deal really.

The first moment of interest is the good guitar break during "Message" which is the sixth song featured on this album? OK, "The Killing Silence" is not bad either. But this is not enough to prevent the two stars rating for this (long) below average neo prog moment.

''In the City'' was just the beginning of a succesful career for Egdon Heath with the band supporting IQ for their Dutch concerts.What was hard to deal with on the live performances was the fact that the lead vocals were handled by the two keyboardists of the band.So soon enough they recruited a lead vocalist, Jens van der Stempel.In 1991 their debut was reissued in CD format together with Egdon Heath's sophomore album ''The Killing Silence'', recorded at the RDS Studios in the small Jubbega village and released on the Dutch label SI Music.

While ''In the city'' was a rather uneven album, consisting of strong and weaker tracks, the new Egdon Heath effort is definitely more consistent, rockier and balanced.However it lacks the killer tracks of the first album, as all of the compositions here sound good and satisfying with no weak points but also without any masterful moments.The band sounds a bit rougher and darker than on the debut, playing Neo Prog with strong TWELFTH NIGHT and PALLAS overtones, featuring grandiose keyboard passages and beautiful guitar parts, both on lead and solo parts, with the new singer being well-tight with the rest of the crew.But Egdon Heath never forget about their more sensitive side, throwing in a couple of decent ballads with emotional content, good guitar solos and elegant piano work.The rockier tunes though remain the driving force of the new CD, having a nice symphonic sound in many instrumental parts, a few well-executed breaks and a sufficient alternation between different emotions.

I certainly can see why this one is regarded the best of the first two Egdon Heath works.Its consistency throughout and the more atmospheric style is warmly praised by prog fans, but personally I miss the couple of the monster moments of ''In the city''.The second album by this Dutch crew already belongs to the collection of most Neo Prog fans out there and is still warmly recommended to the rest of the prog audience.