IN THE LAND OF DREAMS

Silver Key is a progressive rock band from Milan whose roots date back to 1992. After many problems, a long hiatus, some line up changes and a period passed performing Marillion's covers, in 2012 they finally released a début album featuring only original compositions on the independent label Ma.Ra.Cash Records, "In The Land Of Dreams". The current line up features founder member Yuri Abietti (vocals, acoustic guitar, samples) along with Carlo Monti (electric and acoustic guitars), Alberto Grassi (bass), Davide Manara (keyboards, synthesizers, samples) and Viviano Crimella (drums, percussion) but in the studio they were helped by some special guests such as Ettore Salati (guitar ? from The Watch, The RedZen, SoulnginE and Alex Carpani Band) and Massimo Parretti (keyboards ? from the historic band Alusa Fallax). The overall sound is in debt with bands such as Genesis and Marillion, of course, but Silver Key managed to add to their music a touch of originality and all their love for the works of writers as Howard Phillips Lovecraft and Robert William Chambers with excellent results.

"Calm, lasting beauty comes only in dream, and this solace the world had thrown away when in its worship of the real it threw away the secrets of childhood and innocence... There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine...". (H.P. Lovecraft, from "The Silver Key"). Well, the band was named after the title of a short story by H.P. Lovecraft and I think that this short quote along with the beautiful art cover by Claudio Bergamin could introduce you to Silver Key's work better than all my words.

The evocative, dreamy title track, "In the Land of Dreams", opens the album inviting you to look at the world as it is in your dreams, even if it's very difficult at times. The following "More Than I Can" is darker and reminds you that life is too short for all the things you would like to do. Next comes "Learn To Let Go" which is about the need to break free from the chains of your worries and fears to escape from the daily grind. After comes "Millennium" that begins softly, then the music and lyrics conjure up apocalyptic visions with black clouds of fiery angels pouring down from the sky.

"The Silver Key" is the main course of the album. It's a long, complex suite featuring lyrics inspired by the literary works of H.P. Lovecraft and R.W. Chambers. The silver key opens the gates of a fantastic dreamland but as we grow up we risk to lose our capacity to enter the realms of dreams. In this sumptuous suite the music and lyrics try to take us on a dangerous journey through forgotten memories and dark, fantastic cities, in a quest for our lost innocence.

The conclusive "Welcome" begins with a delicate piano pattern. It's a bitter-sweet ballad that blends hope and regret with a strong sense of melody... "I welcome myself / Standing on the edge of what I'm going to be / I welcome my death...".

On the whole a very good album, especially recommended if you like bands such as The Watch.