Elvenking - Red Silent Tides (2010) - Back to the roots but still surprising - 80% (03/01/11)

After a very dark and gore "The scythe" and the acoustic album "Two tragedy poets" that divided the fanbase in two different camps, Elvenking tries to reunite both of them with "Red silent tides" where the band goes back to its roots. This album will please to anyone that liked the older material of the band like "Heathenreel" or "The winter wake" and unites soft power metal with folk elements and some little progressive surprises. There are no entirely acoustic parts or death metal influenced tracks on this record. The courage and the suroprising factor has gone and I am a little bit sad about thisbecause I personally liked the fact that band lways tried out something new, but on the other hand it's surely a positive fact that they have found their style and worked out a very well done album that should please anybody that already liked the band before.

But while the band concentrates mostly on folkish up tempo songs like "Your heroes are dead" or catchy modern power pop metal like on "The last hour" or a combination of both like on the beautiful "The cabal", there are still some fresh surprises on the record that are not that courageous or extreme as they have already done before but that fit perfectly with the whole style and flow of this new album.

"Runereader" has somesymphonical elements and a few growls and is a very progressive piece of music with many changes in style and probably one of my very favourite tracks on the record.

"Possession" is the following song and something completely different but even more profound and touching with its very soft and inspiring instrumentalization. By listening to this song, you feel like waking up in perfect harmony early in the morning in the middle of the nature. This song is soft and simply magic and something like my secret hit on this record.

"Those days" tries out some sleaze rock elements and is a really tight and cool rocker that you wouldn't expect from this abnd but rather from a band in the key of "The 69 Eyes".

That's why this is a very convincing album that has a typical Elvenking style but still tries out something new for progressive fans like me that mostly appreciate when bands are doing some experiments. This band is simply convincing me like always and it is nice and relaxing to listen to the new reciord. The bonus edition comes along with abonus disc that includes the first demo by the band that is also worth listening to. I can only highly recommend this record even though I very slightly prefered the surprising and stunning "The scythe".