Swedish Metal pioneers SILENT CALL, have just announced the release of their newest album titled "Windows." Formed in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2004, Silent Call makes music that's best described as Progressive/Heavy metal. In late 2014, the singer Göran Nyström joined the band, which now consists of Göran Nyström on vocals, Daniel Ekholm on guitars, Patrik Törnblom on keyboards, Tobbe Moen on bass and Mikael Kvist on drums. Their music is deeply influenced by atmospheric and melancholic feelings, blended with heavy and powerful metal music. "Windows" contains 13 new tracks.

"Faceless" opens the album. Ominous keys and background chants lead to the main riff, which is up-tempo. They remind me a bit of NIGHTWISH but with a male vocalist, who sings with a good deal of vibrato. If I had to categorize it, I would call it Prog/Power Metal. "Soulshaker" opens with keys and a heavy riff, along with some meter manipulation. They remind me of DGM here a bit. Goran can handle vocals in the upper ranges and there is a darkness every-present. "Imprisoned in Flesh" opens with a healthy dose of keys and an aggressive riff. Vocally, Goran pushes the envelope and develops some emotional peaks as well. The bridge and solo are especially melodic.

"Shifting Shape" opens with a very charming piano sequence. Man goes Goran pour out the emotions in this mid-tempo "power ballad" of sorts. "Among the Ruins" goes the opposite direction, with a heavy and thumping riff and bass guitar in support. The keyboards maintain a subtle presence. Daniel Ekholm nails a pretty nice solo here as well. "Clouded Horizon" is a slower number that allows singer Goran to really dig deep. They really push the chorus here as well. "The Unknown" opens with indistinct shouts and a police siren. Keys and guitar establish a slower track, still with that darkness and shrouded in mystery.

"Hermetic" is a slower moving song with a heavy and biting guitar riff. It also features a pretty piano and bass guitar passage followed promptly by a keyboard and then a guitar solo. "Shedding Skin" opens with an ominous keyboard and guitar passage, like the end of the world is coming. They push another big chorus here as well. "Damnation" opens with a faster moving riff and some spiraling keyboards. That darkness still permeates the album but at this point the sound is becoming too familiar. The solos are nice in this song. "Invisible" opens with doleful piano notes and sorrowful vocals. They keys work nicely with the guitar and bass in this song, and there is a real connection with the vocals this time, and that keyboard solo is spot on.

"Bleeding me Dry" has a longing quality to it as the title would suggest. The chorus is perfect in this song and supports the melody line very well. "Eye of Destruction" closes the album, opening with an old school keyboard part, leading to a hard and heavy sound. The riff hangs on the low E chord while the keys dance overtop. Overall, it's clear that these are talented musicians with a great singer. However, 13 songs is a lot to get through. It waters down the album just a bit, and makes too many of the songs sound too much alike. Nine or ten would have been plenty. I like the sound however and as I mentioned, Goran puts his all into the vocals.