SILJAN

I immediately was stuck to this Marseilles based band when listening to the album for the first time. Yeah, it contains a bunch of remarkable compositions. Easy to grasp, though without sounding arbitrarily exchangeable with other bands at a first glance. And this not solely due to the fact that they have Johanna Renaud with her cello as a significant addition to the fold. Thematically, according to the album title, they are picking up collapsology, which is said to be a new science, while dealing with the collapse of the industrial civilization and its sequels. Not an optimistic forecast possibly. Nevertheless they are delivering enchanting melody lines throughout, spiked with dramatic heavy guitar riff dominated outbursts again and again.

Another fact that really strikes, one would not miss keyboards, not really. Versatile guitarist Guillaume Arnaud seems to be the driving force. He also serves the vocals, not the strongest share here, but it's quite okay anyhow. As noted before, the compositions are convincing, the band's performance is enjoyable all the way through. And yes, the cello adds nice colours to the show. If at all, I would like to highlight the closing instrumental track Changes, a wonderful piece of progressive rock, compact, melancholic and powerful in the same manner. 3.5 stars on the rating scale, with upward tendency.