SILENCE OF ANOTHER KIND

It’s worth noting that Paatos’ recent live release includes only two tracks from this record. While I like this band for the most part, they seem to have suffered from a bit of a letdown on their third studio album. With ‘Kallocain’ Paatos showed a wide range of influences in their music, Porcupine Tree, Portishead, Pink Floyd and Björk among them.

But with ‘Silence of Another Kind’ the band seems to have slipped into a comfort zone that isn’t really all that appealing. I’m reminded of the rather tepid ‘Home’ album from the Gathering; like that album, this one is too languid, too safe, and not at all innovative or adventurous. The band seems to prefer to settle into a soft-rock groove with mild goth and Scandinavian gloom-rock undertones. I’ve heard too many records like this before.

I will say that the lyric writing seems to have improved somewhat, with fewer trite catchy phrases like that of “Gasoline” from ‘Kallocain’ or “Téa” from their debut album. Instead, some of the songs address social and political issues (“Shame” in particular).

But elsewhere the music borders on being dreary. “Not a Sound” sounds more like a Barbra Streisand ballad than a progressive rock tune. And the title track is nothing more than a brief experiment in digital soundscaping that has little relevance to the rest of the album.

I recently picked up the band’s live album and it shows they are still active and have the energy for serious music. So I have to assume this modest album is just an aberration. The band clearly benefited from Steven Wilson’s production on the excellent ‘Kallocain’; they’ll have to either sign him up again for the next album, or find some other way to generate a new creative spark. This album won’t go down as one of their finest for sure. Two stars and not really recommended.

peace