AND THEN THERE IS SILENCE

In the last years, there were several bands who took some prog elements and sad melodies, put them into an elaborated pop music and, then, the new alternative music was borned. Bands like RADIOHEAD, ANATHEMA (later cds) or even COLDPLAY can be included in that kind of "semi-prog alternative" sound. In the another hand we have classic '90s Scandinavian bands, like ANGLAGARD, WHITE WILLOW, SINKADUS or LANDBERK, all them fantastic and truly mellotronic progressive: long themes plenty of emotional and melancholic music, with an always present feeling of sadness, distance and desperation. Well, put togheter both branches and you'll get the Swedish VALINOR'S TREE second effort. "And Then There Is Silence" is pretty much progressive than the alternative bands mentioned above, but quite less than the Scandinavian typical prog groups. It sounds like a good mixture between both genres, with very nice moments even though reiterative. All 70's progressive sound fans can be dissapointed with it, but if for you the new trends are OK, it can be a very good album.