MOODS

After a promising debute album in 2007 Silhouette return in 2009 with a second album named Moods, this time not a self release anymore, they issued the album at Progress Records. A much better album then the predecesor, the ideas, whole attitude of the album is quite great and for sure a very enjoyble neo prog release with some symphonic elements here and there. The instrumentation parts, the vocal is pleasing most of the time, Brian de Graeve shows now a more confident atitude in his vocal department, giving some excellent vocal parts on all album. In my opinion, Moods is a good album towards great, the album needs to be discoverd only if for Concert hangover, the opening track or the longest pieces of the album Unreal meeting, great tune with some spectacular instrumental parts and great keybords arrangements. The album overall not realy shine as other labums from this genre, but as a whole is a great album that offer some quite great and realy intristing parts.The piece Moods taken from the album name is a instrumental piece with nice piano over some good synth elements, enjoyble track for sure. So, a good album, better in anyway then the predecesor, more uptempo, with more vein, I will go with 4 stars this time, maybe 3.5 rounded to 4. Ending saying that this is one that neo-prog-heads may well enjoy, but not many other fans, will find a solid release after all. Not recommended even is 4 stars, but pleasent most of the time. Similar with another dutch neo prog band US or Cliffhanger.

Despite a limited budget ''A maze'' ended up to be in the top list of several prog listeners regarding the 07' releases and by the end of the year the band had already started rehearsing material for a new album.''Moods'' was based on an autobiographical story of Brian de Graeve, the recordings lasted for more than 18 months, most part of which took place at The Avenue Soundstudio in Utrecht with Knight Area's Gerben Klazinga as the producer.During this period Silhouette got to know Aldo Adema, formerly of Egdon Heath and at the time a member of Seven Day Hunt, who contributed guitar duties in a couple of pieces.The album came out in 2009 with Progress Records approaching and finally signing the band.

The band had made a slight switch towards a more symphonic sound with this album, which holds typical similarities with other releases from the Dutch music industry such as KNIGHT AREA, FLAMBOROUGH HEAD, ODYSSICE and ICE.Passionate material overall, which is now characterized by excellent and inspirational songwriting, the extended time in the studio had only good effects on the band's style and sound.The music is brilliant to say the least with obvious GENESIS, MARILLION, ARENA and PENDRAGON influences, containing dramatic keyboard orchestrations, flashy and neurotic synth soloing and elaborate guitar work over a manifest of refined and clean singing.But it turns out that Silhouette had decided to add a retro feeling to their modern and fresh sound, thus there are some fair doses of Mellotrons and organs among the soaring keyboard deliveries.While there are not many points separating them from the mass of recent Neo Prog bands, Silhouette stand out with the bunch of beautiful melodies, impressive singing lines and balanced keyboard washing, completing series of convincing pieces with some killer instrumental passages and always highlighted by a warm place for symphonic orchestrations.You've got to love this work, cause there are almost 80 minutes of music in here and you'll hardly find any dead holes.Their ability to offer striking electric rhythms, lush keyboard lines and pompous textures is trully impressive and the result is often outstanding.

First-class Neo Prog by a band on the rise.Among the top albums of 2009 and an excellent addition for both Neo Prog fans and Sympho maniacs.Highly recommended.