WHEN SILENCE WILL BE UNBEARABLE

A fairly rare and unknown German band from the early 90's, Taliesyn's `When Silence Will Be Unbearable' is a heavy interpretation of the Neo Prog style, with loud metallic guitars behind oceans of icy cool synths backing up a feisty female singer in Jennifer Holzschneider. The band were a little rough around the edges, but there was plenty of youthful enthusiasm on display from the developing players. Some brief sections of their music sounds like a slightly metal attempt at 70's Genesis, and the band is comparable to other heavy female prog bands from the time such as Cromwell, as well as Neo proggers Arena. Despite several of the players still involved in the music industry today, we were to only receive this one sole album from Taliesyn, another band to fall victim of the `one-and-done' prog curse that sweeps across our favourite genre! But we're lucky to have this one brief moment, and it's a punchy and energetic take on Neo prog that fans should give a chance to.

Opener `Sad Reality' is probably one of their best compositions, a frantic stomping rocker with snappy drumming, murmuring bass and endless twirling synth solos - just listen in the final minute for the blitzkrieg run keyboard player Rudiger Blank unleashes! All this is worked through a delirious mix of wild tempo changes, melodic riffing and a well-balanced vocal where Jennifer effortlessly moves back and forth between forceful and heartfelt. `Silence Burns Under Skin' is a melancholic and slightly uneasy floating ballad, `What The Moons Brings' is an intimidating and brooding metal rocker with wailing guitar solos over thick Hammond organ and a snarling vocal. `Rush Hour' is a spiky instrumental that attempts Dream Theater-like technicality with quick-timed riffing, crisp guitar melodies, urgent keyboard wig-outs and even briefly jazzy drumming.

The imposing and monolithic `Irresistible Recurrence ' is another of the truly great pieces, perhaps a little messy but filled with so much bluster. Aggressive heavy riffs, a battery of drums and a wall of Hammond, while Jennifer resembles a mad Goddess with her spitting and harsh vocal. `Moving Mania' is a reflective piano ballad with a pained vocal delivery full of longing. It's one of the more delicate and sophisticated pieces on the album with confident bursts of drama. `Way of Insight' is a more typical Neo piece, full of chiming dreamy and mysterious acoustic guitars and placid washes of synths. The ethereal repeated chorus is especially lovely, and the orchestrated final instrumental run could almost have been off a vintage Renaissance album. Closer `King of Dreamlands' incorporates numerous vintage defining prog and Neo influences in amongst the heavier elements, so listen out for the powerful organ in the intro, 80's Marillion guitars, machine-gun drumming and racing heavy riffery along the lines of Iron Maiden, clouds of gentle I.Q-style synths and some grinding Steve Hackett-like guitar moments in the big regal finale.

With truly mind-bending psychedelic artwork by Eckehard Post, `When Silence Will Be Unbearable' was one of the very first underground prog albums I bought when I first started getting into the genre over 20 years ago, and it's held a special place in my heart all this time. The combination of a tough yet feminine singer, prominent keyboards and heavy guitars was all very new to me at the time, and I found it truly fascinating. Anyone interested in female fronted prog bands, progressive rock from the 90's or bands that drift into the heavier side of the Neo style should take a chance on this lost little gem if they can still track down a copy.

Three and a half stars.