DANCING WITH DEATH

"Dancing With Death" is the debut album from the Canadian progressive metal band SILENT EXILE. Although their music is quite complex with breaks, time changes and lengthy instrumental passages, it's also melodic with some influences from AOR and Symphonic Rock. You can hear reminiscences to AVALON, DREAM THEATER, ETERNITY X, IQ and RUSH.

The vocalist as well as the musicians is very skilful. The sound quality is rather good too for being an independently released album. My only criticism would be that SILENT EXILE isn't that original. Although they're a talented band, the risk is that their album is drowning in the constant flow of new albums.

Silent Exile is a canadian prog metal band with one album since now, I doubt it there will be a second one, I don't know if this bands still exists or is disbanded now. The album is entitled Dancing with death released at Naivlys Music in 2000. The music is a cross between Dream Theater ,Rush but also I can hear symphonic elements here and there. The instrumental passages is well written with many time signatures and catchy and tight musicianship.The vocal parts is typical for prog metal , not necesarly over the top but not bad either, Chriss J.Y. is a good vocalist, but don't have the range or that something that catches the ear of the listner imediatly. I only after 2-3 listnings I begun to apreciate his voice at the true value. Anyway I think the cherry on the cake here is not the voice, is not the guitar is the keyboards, Cedric Rioux manage to create on some pieces, not on all, some very good and intristing key elements, like on Walls Of Society, brilliant are the key arrangements from here, very atmospheric but in same time very rough when mood needs it, the best track from here. The rest are ok, not something special or never heared befor, but pleasent for sure, at least for prog metal fans. Finaly I will give 3 stars easely for Dancing with death, an album forgotten by many that is shown by the numer of ratings this album has, 2 befor mine. Not really recommended but also worth some spins from time to time.