"EVERGREY vocalist Tom S. Englund teams up with piano virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Vikram Shankar once more for an atmospheric walk through Scandinavian melancholy and cinematic soundscapes: SILENT SKIES released their luminescent label debut, "Nectar," via Napalm Records on February 4, 2022. This otherworldly sonic collaboration is graced by the outstanding contributions of LEPROUS' cello player Raphael Weinroth-Browne, who appears on nearly every track of the album to spice up the stirring sound even more." The album contains ten tracks.

"Fallen from Heart" opens the album. It begins with the pensive vocals of Englund and charming keys from Shrankar. The chorus is beautiful, and it will hook you in with the mix of somber and elegant tones. At the second chorus, the emotions are dialed up with harmonized vocals. Cello notes accompany the sound after the half-way point, and the beauty and frailty of this song will run chills down your spine. "Taper" opens with more sentimental tones. "Dark skies and dark waters...will I ever spread my wings" he sings with his soul. Piano occupies the background, while cello joins in again, creating this sense of longing that is magnified as it moves along.

"Neverending" begins with touching and impassioned vocals along with delicate piano notes. Skies of endless grey descend down in your world and remain there for weeks. Yet, in the distance, there are flickers of light, giving you faith and confidence that there is good out there to be found. "Let it Hurt" is more of an affirmation of how you feel when you have wronged a loved one. You didn't mean to do it, but relationships are complex beasts, and you want to feel alive, so you choose to feel the pain of the hurt rather than nothing at all. "The One" deals with the rush you feel when you meet someone who you instantly connect with. All else in the world stops in order for you to take in that sensation. For those who have found "the one," you know exactly what I am talking about. Smile deeply, and endlessly.

"Leaving" is a gut-wrenching song that is dark and brooding and signifies when all hope fails. Englund's vocals are passionately warm, yet you are left freezing out in the cold. The song builds to a crescendo as you bleed from a wound that leaves warm steam marks in the snow, and you slowly fade away. "Cold" features more rousing emotional qualities, and the melodies, while somber, are striking, especially with the keys that ever-swirl behind the vocals. Though the title reflects something bitter, it also reminds you that beauty can be found anywhere. "Better Days" is a ray of hope in an album where that is buried pretty deeply. When you feel at your worst, always remember that the sun will rise again tomorrow.

"Closer" is a feeling that we humans will not always allow ourselves to enjoy. The closeness of comfort with someone...the closeness of being vulnerable with someone, and the closeness of making a deep connection by just being yourself with a partner and no longer being afraid to share this. The piano runs are as stirring as any on the album. The title track closes the album. "Nectar" is the sweet drink of the Gods in Roman and Greek mythology. What a wonderful closing song, to allow just dreamy piano explorations to restore your soul.

This album contains ten tracks of melancholy music that is both despondent and emotionally stirring. Perhaps what is best on the album is the balance between the keys and the vocals. Shankar knows exactly how to play in order to elevate the vocals of his counterpart, Englund, without taking over the sound. Those who are familiar with EVERGREY already know the emotional power of Englund's voice, and it is on full display here. Partner this with the introspective tendencies of Shankar on the piano, and you have a recipe for an album that will leave an indelible mark on your very soul. This is beauty personified.