MOODS

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.