ACROSS THE RUBICON

This, my friends, is an incredible album. I'll just come out and say that. I have fallen in love with neo-prog over the last year, mainly thanks to Galahad. Riversea, and Introitus. Yet, neo-prog can still be rather hit or miss for me, as Marillion's album last year was a major letdown. However, having seen some reviews for this album, I gave it a shot---I'm glad I did.

Silhouette, in my opinion, has three things going for them here: First of all, they have chops. This album is played wonderfully from the amazing synth to the awesome vocal quality. They don't hold back, but they certainly keep melody present at all times.

Second, they have an amazing atmosphere. Across the Rubicon has a very soulful, pleasing ambiance that borders on epic at times. The soaring melodies demand attention, and the jazzy snyth is fantastically composed.

Third, I think this album's greatest strength is the lyrical content. The lyrics pine for better days and better places, and sadness sets in as those better places and better days are found to be gone or have changed forever. The ballad "Empty Places" is an amazing track that grabbed my attention, for I think I could have written it about my own hometown. That's exactly what the lyrics do: they force an emotional reaction from the listener, but they also induce nostaglia, too. In other words, the album made me sad and happy at the same time. That is a feat that I cannot dismiss lightly. This album deserves 5 stars for sure.

On a side note, if you like this album and love the sound, be sure to check out the bands Hidden Lands and Anima MUndi. Both of these bands have a similar, though distinct, sound; and both bands' discographies are downright amazing.