PRAYER – Silent Soldiers (2018)

“Silent Soldiers” is the new album by Finnish melodic rockers PRAYER after five years of absence. They may take many years in between albums but well worth the wait; the band carefully craft their art in all departments.

For people new to PRAYER, musically these guys are melodic (hard) rock oriented mixed with Scandi AOR, but their songs are much more elaborated than your typical act in this genre.
The lead vocal color take a bit of getting into, but singer Tapani Tikkanen has really improved over the years. The varied synths / keyboards infuse the AOR factor to PRAYER’s music, a plus in my book.

Mentioning influences will give you a hint of what “Silent Soldiers” is all about.
The dynamic opener ‘Silent Treatment’ has some of Swedish melodic rockers BAD HABIT, second cut ‘Rock and a Hard Place’ a bit of GYPSY ROSE, while follower ‘Fires of the Heart’ is more punchy, hard rocking, with TREAT all over plus a twin guitar tandem in a THIN LIZZY fashion but a modern set-up sound.

Midtempo ‘Feel like a Prisoner’ recalls JOHN SYKES solo works, ‘Ten days of Hell’ add a catchiness in the vein of country-fellow BROTHER FIRETRIBE early sound, while the superb AOR of ‘ Ghost Train’ has the DARE stamp on it.
‘Lovers on the Road’ delivers as classy midtempo pace which brings to mind Swedish AORsters ROULETTE, with a modernized sonic treatment.

‘Get me out of Here’ is one of my favorites, a racing AOR tune mixing 80s Bristish sound (those keyboards!) with a lively DALTON-like amusement. Killer tune.
PRAYER always had little proggressive touches, and they created a fantastic long track on the varied ‘Mystery Island’ with various shifts, atmospheric passages and a bit of Pomp here and there. Love the final part with sizzling keyboards.

All previous PRAYER albums have been strong, and this new “Silent Soldiers” is another one, with the band always based on AOR Melodic Rock but trying fresh ideas.
It’s a very well produced record made with such passion and love for the sound of the glorious ’80s era updated to the current, and trying (quite successfully) to avoid cliches.
PRAYER have made one hell of an album, and one that I personally enjoyed listening to immensely.
HIGHLY Recommended

01. Silent Treatment
02. Rock and a hard place
03. Fires of the heart
04. Feel like a prisoner
05. Ten days of Hell
06. Dead dog
07. Ghost Train
08. Devil’s Daughter
09. King of the Hill
10. Get me out of here
11. No Giver, All taker
12. Mystery Island
13. Lovers on the Road
14. All up for Love
15. Broken Hearted Me

Tapani Tikkanen – vocals, rhythm guitar, percussion
Jukka Ihme – lead and rhythm guitar
Mike Pohjola – Keyboards
Tom Pohjola ­ Bass
Ville Hanhisuanto ­ Drums

PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.de/Silent-Soldiers-Prayer/dp/B077VCJQMT
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