PLACE OF THE FORGOTTEN

SILENT TEMPLE's second offering - Place Of The Forgotten - flows from song to song as a single emotional piece about the solace of nature in a world of war and greed. HART's deep resonant voice provides a refreshing contrast to the more conventional vocals in Crossover Prog. Vocals are hardly the focus of this album, though. HART's background in solo piano work is evident here, with his keyboard work providing the backbone for this album. The recording quality for the keyboards is exceptional for such a young band. In fact, all the instruments: flute, drums, violin, bass, and guitar are crystal clear. I only wish that the vocal recording for HART and BEIRD could have been as crisp; the vocals are a bit muted and sound like they were recorded through a thick filter, making them feel thin in a few places.

Inspiration from the bands listed on SILENT TEMPLE's PA bio: KANSAS, OPETH (Damnation), and JETHRO TULL can be detected, but I wouldn't call SILENT TEMPLE a carbon copy of any of these bands. They already possess a refreshing signature sound of their own, and I look forward to seeing what they release in the future, particularly if they explore more of the acoustic side where they shine.

A solid 4 star album from a band with much potential. Add another half star if you are into Opeth's lighter side.

Highlights: The Lamentation, To Heal In The Still Of The Night, And Shall The Winter Heal/ Place Of The Forgotten