SILENCE

After Last Epic I was really excited for the follow up: Silence. The band had just struck a deal with Inside Out, meaning more people would finally be able to hear this impressive group. For this album, the group returns to the non-concept format, but does have one epic, "Consequences." I'll be honest, I was quite disappointed. A lot of the tunes lacked the wit, and the bite of their masterpiece. They were still catchy, but they were all a lot less fun, and less intriguing, not to mention way more straightfoward in structure and theory. A few instrumental segments harkened back to the glory of Last Epic, but A.C.T just did not have it all together. After repeated attempts, I did grow to enjoy these pieces, but not near the level of enjoyment I was expecting. As far as "Consequences" concerns, it is not so much one song as it is like a bunch of short songs telling pieces of a story. Not so much a musical epic, but an epic in its original definition. This could have been expected, as the epics from the first two albums were of the the same attributes. We have awesome parts, both in power and beauty, but it too falls short of perfect. It's a good album, maybe even a little more, but it's not nearly as good as I had expected. I'll go with 3.5 stars. Highlights are "Truth Is Pain," "Out of Ideas," "Hope," and "Useless Arguement" and in the epic: "Joanna," Memory to Fight," and "A Wound That Won't Heal."

The voice within.

Mine's saying 'see the best in every situation!' In that case, it could be a good attitude to approach this album...because it's not as toppy as I wish. I wouldn't say ACT missed the point, because the core of ACT is intact (phew!).

What went different on this album is that the songs are much more mellow than the other albums. ACT is drawing away of what we call 'muscle prog' without being a sissy band per se. What was cool with ACT was the amount of butt kicking melted with the symphonic and the popish sides of music. Now, the pop is taking over the muscle and the Acting orchestra is taking a lot more space. Some will be happy with the results, saying that the album is less irritating and more easy to get into. True. Some people with not a real taste for complicated material will find this album fun and a good initiation to the 'concept album' shennanigans we are used to.

Honestly, I'm a TAD disapointed because after Imaginary friends and Last Epic, the world is still opening to ACT but I was expecting a bit more muscle and a much bombastic sound. But hey, just having the record is nice because 2006 sucked bad.

Don't get me wrong, in my opinion, what is an 'okay job' for ACT is still a 'huge effort' for most of today's bands. The humor in the lyrics, the vocals, the guitars and the keyboards (ouh la la) are still on top on many people's list, so don't be afraid to give a listen but don't make it your introduction to ACT first!

Hey, this record is such a good meddle between indie and commercial music that it reached number 4 on the charts in Sweden! Now that's great marketing results!!!

From "relationship" to "global warming"

Beyond my conscious mind, I have been a fan of A.C.T, and I think I have reviewed all of their albums before this one at this site. For me, this band is very unique and in fact I have never heard the kind of music they play. In one of the reviews I mentioned it as a cabaret rock music - or something like that. Of course, my favorite was their "Last Epic" album which blew me away at first spin of the CD. The album has a tight composition and outstanding production. But when I got this "Silence" CD, I was a bit disappointed at first spin because I did not grab the "aha" at the first spin. Fortunately, it grew on me after couple of spins even though it's not as great as "Last Epic" album. "Silence" comprises short tracks (track 1 - 10) followed with multi-section epic (track 11 - 19).

Truth Is Pain (4:09) opens the album beautifully with a tightly composed opening part comprising ambient riffs followed with sudden break to accommodate the vocal to enters. In fact, the sudden break is excellent as it provides the listeners trigger a question "what's next?" after the break. When the vocal says "Once it was great, just be alive. Life was so simple, I was satisfied with myself" .. wow it represents great impact to my emotion and I feel bad with the music. It then flows beautifully with some combination of soft riffs, string section and rhythm section. The flow of the music is so wonderful, combined with great melody. The guitar solo in the middle is stunning but it has much more impact when the keyboard provides its solo after guitar. Great track! Full five stars! The lyrics are all about relationship.

Puppeteers (4:13)moves in such a way faster in terms of tempo compared to the opening track. The key to this track excellence is on its vocal choirs and weird rhythm section, augmented with operatic (cabaret like) singing style. Listening to this track is like imagining myself watching an opera with a story line. The melody line is also strong and this track is excellently positioned after "Truth is Pain".

This Wonderful World (4:20) is another great track as great as the opening track. It starts with accentuated and theatrical singing style emphasizing environmental issues - global warming which has polluted the sea. This track has a wonderful melody line augmented with excellent string section / orchestration. The multi-style nature of this track makes it so dynamic and really enjoyable listening. I like especially the positive phrases of lyrical part : "This wonderful world . Now you think I will tell you which way to go .", especially the melody line during this segment is so catchy. It's a great track.

Out Of Ideas (4:47) has a groovy nature combining bass guitar and acrobatic drumming, augmented by piano and guitar fills. When I first listened to this track for the first time, I obviously did not feel something special - but with more spins it has finally become a good variation in terms of song sequence. This song is really different from the first three songs. The chorus line is powerful : "Oh, nothing to say, how cruel. Who do you think you fool?". There is musical break which features jazzy guitar fills in slower tempo which makes this track looks rich in textures.

Hope (4:29) blasts the music off with so called heavy riffs ala progressive metal but with the intense style of A.C.T. When the vocal enters, the music changes significantly. The rhythm section while accompanying lead vocalist is performed by drums. The music flows with heavy riffs unique A.C.T. The chorus line also truly represents the ACT style. It's a nice track especially when it suddenly changes the music after the break with a work of keyboard followed beautifully with guitar solo. It's really an excellent composition!

Into The Unknown (3:55) is to me sounds like a pop song with keyboard-orientated rhythm section. During the singing portion, the guitar is played like guitar fills of Steve Hackett. As a pop song, I don't see the complexities or dynamics of its composition it just flows smoothly like any pop song.

No Longer Touching Ground (4:11) keeps the pace of its previous track in pop mode even though it has more upbeat than the predecessor. The opening part reminds me to the music of Mike and The Mechanics. I would say this track is just mundane, nothing special.

Useless Argument (4:49) is a Beatles-influenced song with frequent tempo changes from fast to suddenly into slow segments and returning back into fast one. The guitar work provides a combination of riffs, fills as well as solo.

The Voice Within (3:55) gives more space for bass guitar to provide tight bass lines from low until medium register notes. Keyboard provides good intertwined roles or support each other. Unfortunately, this track lacks melody line, nothing special. In fact, when I reach this track I feel getting bored with this album. Too bad, but that's what I feel.

Call In Dead (2:51) brins the music back into faster and upbeat tempo style and some choirs sound like Queen's. The rhythm section sometimes with heavy riffs but it also changes to reggae as well. Looking at the music flows, this is quite dynamic track actually and it's better than two previous tracks.

Consequences represents this album's epic that comprises 9 parts with each duration is relatively short (from 0.51 to 4:32). It starts beautifully with "Silent Screams" through slow keyboard work that reminds me to the melody of pop song by Air Supply "All out of Love" (?) (1:58) augmented beautifully with excellent violin work. The music suddenly burst into heavy rhythm with frequent tempo changes followed with "Introduction" which features nice singing line. It suddenly moves the "Tom Jones"(?) like music (hmm I think its something like "Delilah" song). Under "The Millionaire". The bass guitar provides nice entry to next excellent track "Joanna" which has good riffs and acrobatic keyboard as well as guitar work combined with orchestra. This is really ann excellent part because the music is really dynamic - especially during ending part where keyboard provides nice solo backed with heavy riffs. It continues seamlessly with excellent break under "A Father's Love" through melancholic vocal line - it's really nice, indeed! "Memory to Fight" brings the music into upbeat style followed with another melancholic break in "The Diary". "A Wound that Won't Heal" music style is like an encore even though this is not the end of track. The epic closes with "The Final Silence" with melody line that is similar with the opening part "Silent Screams" this time with howling guitar solo.

Conclusion

I know that I enjoy this album even though not all tracks are outstanding; those who are excellent are really excellent, but those mundane stuffs have in away jeopardized my overall rating about this album. The problem that I have with this album is the feeling of getting bored after listening to until track no.6 or 7. That's why, I conclude this review with an overall album as "very good". I enjoy it and I recommend you to have it as well. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Silence is my first, and so far only, encounter with Swedish quintet A.C.T and I must say, judging by the relative ratings and the under whelming impression I've so far had, I probably brought the wrong album.

The biggest problems I have with this album is that its largely antithetical to my particular tastes in music. There is nothing particularly complex or clever about the arrangements and compositions that the band uses here and I find the permanent cheeriness of the album to be quite annoying, but then I've always been one for bleak melancholy so that was hardly a surprise. At 68 minutes this is quite a long album as well, particularly since their is little to differentiate the 19 or so songs from each other, I think Silence would have benefited from cutting out 5 or 6 tracks, though I doubt that would change my rating. Listening to this album I cant help but feel that they could have given so much more, the musicianship is of a generally high level suggesting that they know what they are doing and could have written far more interesting music.

Overall its a great disappointment to me but people that enjoy well crafted pop songs might find a lot more in this album than I have. I've given it 3 because its just doesn't match my personal tastes at all but people that enjoy music with an up beat, cheery feeling may get a lot out of this.

OK, this is failure. After being interesting, melodic and prog at the same moment, they simply turned themselves in and became pop rock. There is a distinct difference and is clear to hear in this album. That's sad, because I believed them quite a lot, loved (more or less) their previous albums that stood the test of time (in my case and also in case of others, as I can see). Even, to be honest, it's not so bad, because there are still elements (even in much lesser amount than before) that I admired in their previous work.

3(+), even I enjoy it a lot, it's pop with prog elements and I feel that better rating would not be appropriate.

I was extremely hyped when I finally got the album and put it in my stereo! Although I was somewhat confused after my initial experience the album has definitely grown on me over the years. Many complain that A.C.T are getting more commercial but I personally found a lot more creativity here than on most progressive-releases of the last few years. Now let's talk about the release:

First off I really liked that Thomas finally managed to transfer his great live sound to the studio recording. The sound that comes from his drum-kit can only be compared to likes of Neil Peart! And if I understood correctly there is even a minor reference to Rush song Trees at the beginning of the album!

Ola Andersson has probably been my favorite guitarist ever since I've heard his work on the track Svetlana off Imaginary Friends! Even he has managed to outdo himself on tracks like Out Of Ideas, Silent Screams and many more.

The keyboards and vocals are as great as they have ever been my only concern is for Peter on the bass. Although his live performances are awesome, I have difficulties of following his work on the albums. But what could one expect when the bands sound is so rich and there is almost no time to show off any particular instrument.

After listening to the album for the first time I was a bit disappointed about the increased number of violin-numbers and the increased melodic feel on each track. But eventually I managed to see beyond all that once I discovered that every track is incredibly well thought through and that there are quite a few truly progressive moments on it, all I had to do was to pay attention! The same thing happened with Consequences (The Long One). At first I was disappointed that the song wasn't as over the top and energetic as the previous long compositions, especially Personalities. But already after the second listen I found the first traces of pattern in structure and began realizing the songs true potential.

Finally I would like to add that my favorite thing about A.C.T is that the band has never tried to show off their great craftsmanship, instead they managed to insert it all in their amazingly accessible music. Hopefully they will eventually get the recognition that they truly deserve.

***** star songs: Truth Is Pain (4:09) Out Of Ideas (4:47) Polish, Reduce, And Enlarge (3:55) Call In Dead (2:51) Silent Screams (1:58) Introduction (0:51) The Millionaire (2:10) Joanna (3:09) A Father's Love (2:32) Memory to Fight (2:43) The Diary (3:10) A Wound that Won't Heal (4:32) The Final Silence (1:36)

**** star songs: Puppeteers (4:13) This Wonderful World (4:20) No Longer Touching Ground (4:11) Useless Argument (4:49) The Voice Within (3:55)

*** star songs: Hope (4:29) Into The Unknown (3:55)

Swedish Band A.C.T's 2006 release, Silence, is an enjoyable listen, if rarely rising beyond that description.

The songs are, for the most part, short (around 4 minutes), except for the epic, "Consequences". They follow the basic pop-rock song structure, with chorus', verses, etc. The band sings in English, which is nice for us English speakers, but some of the lyrics are a little forced. This can be charming on the first time through, but when the awkward phrasing's make it into the chorus, they tend to start getting annoying. ("For all sake, but he's fake, I won't break, now it's time for the speech").

The instruments rarely take the foreground, but that doesn't stop them from shining. They are played playfully, and it's clear that the band enjoys what they are doing. One thing I appreciate is that the instruments rarely settle on anything, moving through various riffs and ideas to support the vocals, so as not to get boring.

In a way, this album reminds me of Frost*, just in the overall sound - it has a sense of "mainstream" sound to it, much like Frost*, but is still undeniably prog. That being said, I feel that Frost* is a bit more successful at achieving this.

The epic is a nice track, held together by the concept and some musical themes. The most prominent of which you will hear in Silent Screams played on the piano, and Herman sings along with the theme at various points. What always throws me for a loop, is that the theme sounds a fair amount like Air Supply's "All Out of Love" (specifically, it pretty much exactly matches the part where the band sings, "I'm all out of love, I'm so lost without you"). Which, given the theme of the song, is appropriate, I suppose. It's not particularly mind-blowing in execution, but it has lots of good parts, and feel cohesive. It ranges from pretty to heavy at various points, and the instruments are given a bit more space here than on the rest of the album.

Altogether, an enjoyable album.

After two great albums (Today's Report and Imaginary Friends) and a third which was not so brilliant but very good nevertheless (Last Epic), A.C.T failed to deliver a competent album with Silence.

The style of the record is the same as their previous three efforts, but this time with a bit more serious tone and with darker lyrics. And I think that's one of the biggest mistakes that they made with Silence. The lyrics of A.C.T were never their stronger point, and this time are so cheesy as always, but not as funny. And I think that's unforgivable!

The production of the album is very good again, but I find the vocals of Herman Saming lost a bit of strength this time and I don't really don't know why. He sounds tired, or bored. At least in most of the songs. Maybe it was deliberated, but then that's also a mistake, just like the lyrics. The rest of the band sound so good as always.

Truth is Pain is a good summary of what this album delivers. A darker shade in the lyrics, tiresome vocals and a worrying lack of authentic new ideas. Even the instrumental section is not so good as always, despite the great musicians. Puppeteers is not better, with its typical Saga-riff, Queen inspired choirs and a very weak chorus. What happened to you, guys?

This Wonderful World is a boring mid-tempo which talks about ecological matters in a very predictable way (it pales in comparison to Waltz With Mother Nature), while Out of Ideas is just lame, despite its fine Ola Andersson's solo. At this point I'm really worried about the compositional abilities of the band.

But hey' Not everything is lost!

Hope suddenly rises the level of the album, with a powerful pseudo-thrash metal riff with palm muting and a catchy chorus despite the less than stellar interpretation of Herman. And this good line is maintained by Into the Unknown, with another good chorus, verses with symphonic arrangements and an outstanding progressive instrumental section.

No Longer Touching ground is not so good, but it has a nice bass during the verses. Useless Argument is an uplifting tune, with some nice hard rock elements and a guitar solo which oddly reminds me to Joe Satriani! An interesting one. On the contrary, The Voice Within is another forgettable mid-tempo.

Call in Dead has strong Queen influences in the verses and a funny chorus. In the second block of verses some Arabic melodies appears, contributing to the variety of the album. Silent Screams is an introduction to Consequences, the long song of the album, advancing some of the melodies that we will hear later.

Introduction is the second introduction to the epic of the album (a bit weird, I know), this time in the form of a nice acoustic melody, which remembers me to Spock's Beard. Then The Millionaire appears to introduce the concept of the epic, which talks about wealthy and its consequences. The song is far from being brilliant, nevertheless.

Joanna is far better, being maybe the best instrumental moment of the whole album. Powerful and precise, just what this album lacks. A Father's Love has lovely keyboard melodies and a splendid chorus with orchestral arrangements, while Memory to Fight brings another typical A.C.T riff and good choirs, alongside a great final section with splendid guitars.

The Diary is one of the best sections of the album, with imaginative riffs and constant tempo changes. I specially love the riff after the bridge, the one we can hear in the chorus. Just fantastic! This is what I expect from an album of A.C.T. And so is A Wound That Won't Heal, another very good song with a marvelous final section, which contains a very delicate guitar and vocal arrangements. Why were they not able to achieve this quality through the whole record?

The Final Silence closes this album with a very good guitar solo, ending an epic which is the best section of the album despite its unfitting lyrics.

Conclusion: Silence is by no means a bad album. It has some fine songs and a very good epic. The problem is that alongside we encounter five or six forgivable tracks, and a pair of really bad ones. Maybe lack of inspiration? Or a futile attempt to search new paths for the band? Or just too long? I don't know, but this inconsistence makes Silence the worst effort of A.C.T

In addition, the lyrics are also very poor. More than ever. And considering that this was always the weakest aspect of A.C.T's music, you can imagine how bad and unfitting they are.

Best Tracks: Hope, Into the Unknown, Useless Argument and Consequences.

My Rating: **

"Silence" is the 4th full-length studio album by Swedish progressive rock/metal act A.C.T. The album was released through InsideOut Music in June 2006. It´s the successor to "Last Epic" from 2003 and it´s the band´s first release on a larger label. InsideOut Music also picked up "Last Epic (2003)" for a 2007 reissue. The five-piece lineup who recorded "Last Epic (2003)" is intact on "Silence".

Stylistically A.C.T continue the melodic progressive rock style (with the occasional progressive metal element) of the previous releases. Although A.C.T try their hands at some darker lyrical topics than usual, most of the tracks are still uplifting in mood and the instrumentatal performances as sophisticated as ever. "Silence" is a technically well played album, but A.C.T aren´t an abrasive progressive rock unit, who play thousands of notes and fretboard/keyboard runs for the sake of it. Those elements exist in their music, but they are often incorporated in a more subtle manner. Lead vocalist Herman Saming has a distinct sounding voice and delivery which provide the music with a unique touch.

"Silence" consists of 11 individual tracks and the 22:41 minutes long closing multi-part epic "Consequences". The latter also consists of individual tracks, which make up the epic, so it´s not one long continuous song. The material are well written, but the album still feels a little long (running at 68:15 minutes), and some of the individual tracks aren´t that memorable, which is odd since they are all highly melodic and catchy. "Consequences" is definitely the highligt of the album and also the track where A.C.T get to really show their playing skills and creative ideas.

Although I did mention that A.C.T on occasion include heavy riffs and other heavy metal traits in their music, it´s only an element and it´s not a dominant one. So "Silence" is first and foremost a melodic progressive rock album. Sometimes I wonder if the members of the band (or at least some of them) come from a heavy metal background, because of the way some of the riffs are constructed, but since the distortion is not turned to 11, but rather to 4, you won´t get an aggressive heavy metal feeling that often when listening to "Silence".

"Silence" is a well produced release, featuring a clear sounding and detailed production, suiting the melodic and sophisticated nature of the material well. Upon conclusion "Silence" is another quality release by A.C.T and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)