Finland has a strong and old tradition in the extreme Metal genres, especially in Death Metal. Names as SENTENCED, AMORPHIS, IMMORTAL SOULS and others laid in the early days of the 90s the basis for the genre on Finland, and it’s natural for bands of the country to search for a different model from the other scenes. So it’s not surprising that the quintet SHRAPNEL STORM shows such very good work on “Silo”. The quintet worked on the studio with Aadolf Virtanen (producer) and Daniel Rantanen (recordings, mixing, mastering) to help them to find the right sonority for the album. And it sounds clean and defined (a bit dry in many points, what enables the deeper understanding of the instrumental arrangements), but aggressive and distorted. In the true sense, it’s a Thrash/Death Metal sonority, after all.

The cover is a fine work of Ykä that fits on the band’s music. As guest, they brought Daniel Rantanen for the synthesizers. One could ask about the Thrash/Death Metal label used above, and it’s not a sin to say that the quintet used a form of classic Death Metal with technical elements of Thrash/Death Metal, but always in a young and fresh way, full of Hardcore hooks (as heard on “Alive Ammunition”). But the words aren’t enough to describe how good their music sounds, full of a young energy and with a personal appeal. And as “Silo” is just their third album, more can be expected of the quintet in the future, but they’re pretty good by now.

“Wastelands” (plenty of Hardcore hooks and Thrash/Death Metal elements, it shows a very good work of bass guitar and drums on the guidance of the rhythms), “Justice and Glory” (excellent guitar riffs and arrangements, and with charming hooking tempos), “Alive Ammunition” (the focus on slower tempos pushes the Thrash/Death Metal to their extremes, and what fine instrumental arrangements that supports the grunts of the vocals), “Bring Me the War” (another fine Thrash/Death Metal set of elements shapes the song’s inner aggressiveness), “Conquering the Gods” (another very good set of Thrash Metal influences creates the right hooks for this one), “Icon of Destruction” (many Hardcore touches can be heard, even with such slower tempos), and “This is Where I Fell” are the right ones for a first ride on “Silo”, but Death Metal fans will love it for sure.

“Silo” is a true surprise, and SHRAPNEL STORM has a great future ahead, if they can deal their cards the best way.