CODE OF SILENCE – Dark Skies Over Babylon [Japan Release] (2013)

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New project CODE OF SILENCE was put together three years ago by Scottish bass player James Murray along with Eden’s Curse mastermind Paul Logue who helped to write the songs.

Murray recruited Edinburgh drummer John Clelland and keyboardist Scott McLean, and later enlisted the talents of English young virtuoso guitarist Ben Randall (ex-Power Quest) and even further a field to Brazil for vocalist Gus Monsanto.

The combo’s debut “Dark Skies Over Babylon” is one of the finest debuts of the year ’til now.

Code Of Silence is a fresh-sounding take on heavy yet highly melodic hard rock, adding melodic metal and progressive overtones to the mix.

With Logue and Murray providing the wondrous songs, it was over to fellow Eden’s Curser Alessandro Del Vecchio to mix and master the album. The result is something rather special and impactful.

From the opening orchestral widescreen sound of intro “Omerta” through to the final piano motif of “Here To Heaven”, this CD is one joyride characterised by strong melodies, quite catchy choruses and wonderful playing.

Special mention of Ben Randall whose inventive guitar figures infuse all songs with a youthfulness and precision, a guitar hero in the making. The vocals throughout are top-notch thanks to Gus Monsanto, at times tender, but mostly powerful as befitting much of the music.

You’ll hear these strengths on notable tracks like the soaring “Dark Skies Over Babylon” where Monsanto duets with female singer Joanna Ruiz, the little dark “Black Abyss” and the uptempo “Seventh Seal” finding Randall exchanging chops with McLean’s spicy keyboards to great effect.

There’s extremely melodic, catchy and commercial tunes in “Sky Is Falling Down” (my favorite) as well as on the groovy “Witches of November”.

Alternatively, the massive “Tame the Tempest” may also have some slight prog metal nuances, “Knights of the Crimson Cross” delivers straight melodic metal whilst the epic “Midnight Cathedral” is an inspired multi-faceted composition.

The album ends in superb style with the enchanting semi-ballad (intense) “Here To Heaven” including pianos, melodious guitars and really nice harmony vocals.

This Japan Edition includes the bonuses “Witches Of November” and “Here To Heaven”, both in its original take with slightly different arrangements.

All members in Code Of Silence glued perfectly, one of the strongest Melodic Metal / Hard Rock acts to come out of the UK since many years.

The result is the rather stellar “Dark Skies Over Babylon”, an accurate combination of heaviness, melody, hooks and rockin’ grooves. Alongside these things there’s a very strong song composition artfully merging the arrangement with every instrument.

One hell of debut.

ROCKS.

01 – Omerta (Intro)

02 – Bitter Sweet Paradise

03 – Sky Is Falling Down

04 – Tame The Tempest

05 – Dark Skies Over Babylon

06 – Seventh Seal

07 – Witches Of November

08 – Black Abyss

09 – Knights Of The Crimson Cross

10 – Midnight Cathedral (Veritas)

11 – Here To Heaven

12 – Witches Of November [Original take – bonus track]

13 – Here To Heaven [Original take – bonus track]

Gus Monsanto – (Takara, Adagio) – Vocals

Ben Randall (ex-Power Quest) – Guitars

Scott McLean (Falloch / Concept Of Time) – Keyboards

James Murray – Bass

John Clelland (The Crows / Karma) – Drums

Pete Newdeck (Tainted Nation, Eden’s Curse) – Vocals on 3

Joanna Ruiz – Vocals on 5

BUY IT !

www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DAKRBNCD-1117