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“Break the Silence” is the 4th full-length offering from one of the most delightfully atypical bands of Metaldom. For those of you who are yet unfamiliar with them, Van Canto specialise in Metal songs played with vocals…..period. So even the guitars and percussion sounds that you hear are mostly vocal acrobatics. Van Canto had started out recording A Cappella versions of well known Metal songs but in this new album, most of the songs are their own compositions. It’s not just the oddity of being a vocal-based album that makes “Break the Silence” appealing. The songs are indeed excellent – even if the melodies sometimes fit a bit too snugly within the archetype of Scandinavian Melodic Metal. Amongst the original numbers, ‘Dangers in my Head’ and ‘The Higher Flight’ stand out for their spirited and anthemic melodies. Sabaton vocalist Joakim Broden pops by on Van Canto’s version of Sabaton’s ‘Primo Victoria’ thereby giving the song a sort of stamp of authenticity. Blind Guardian’s Marcus Siepen contributes acoustic guitar on the song ‘Spelled in Waters’. With drummer Basti within Van Canto’s full-time ranks and the use of a little bit of keyboards, “Break the Silence” is not 100% A Cappella. Never mind – this doesn’t detract from the album’s magic. Case in point is Van Canto’s gobsmacking version of Manowar’s ‘Master of the Wind’ where the singing of band lass Inga will leave you shivering with emotion. Another excellent release from an incomparable band. | ||||||||||||||||||
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