SILVER TALON is an American band formed in 2017 in the Pacific Northwest. Built with a trio of guitarists, SILVER TALON has major elements of Power, Melodic and Progressive Metal with some nice dark overtones that give the music a bit of a gothic feel. Decadence And Decay is their debut full-length album and will release May 28,2021 through M-Theory Audio.

The record starts with a nice guitar riff and some ethereal vocalizations before diving into the body of the song. The opening is definitely worthy of the title Power Metal. The song, "Deceiver, I Am," also has a lot of melodic work in it. The rhythm, and rhythm section, are really good. There are some cool tempo shifts and the three guitars use those elements to show off some prodigious skills.

The second song, "Revolution 2029" brings in a fourth guitarist. This is none other than the inimitable Andy La Rocque of KING DIAMOND fame. Andy La Rocque adds a layer of sound and more texture to the guitars on this song, which is amazing since it is already so big and complex to begin with. The guitar work in this song is some of the best on the record and adding a fourth in no way diminishes the original three.

Jumping down, "Next To The Sun" has a nice flamenco vibe. Wyatt's vocals spend more time in the lower ranges to start this song, but rise up to his mid-range register when the harder section kicks in. The flamenco section gives the song a really interesting overall feel, highlighting the bands talents in composing and performing. This is one of the more impressive songs on the record due to the varied tones and tempos.

"Divine Fury" is the rapid fire, almost speed metal ripper. With some classical sections in the guitar work and a rhythm that sprints out of the gate and never relents, it's one of the heavier, yet more technical songs on the record. This song also shows off the rasp and the belts of the vocalist. While all the songs have those vocal elements, this one seems to hit more blatantly. Maybe the backing vocals just push the lead to the front some.

Another song that starts with a gentle intro piece is "What Will Be". The acoustic sound with the vocal intonations is almost eerie and have a very gothic feel. The body of the song is more melodic. This is the mid-tempo song that feels a bit ominous. Great use of tone and tuning on this one.

The final song on the record is the epic, eight-minute "Touch The Void". With lots of tempo and tone shifts, this is an epic/power/prog metal song of the highest order. This is a song that evokes thoughts of HELLOWEEN and DREAM THEATER with some BLIND GUARDIAN thrown in. This is a complex song that hits all the benchmarks of a great epic tale song. The ending actually reminds me of CRIMSON GLORY. Since I love each and every one of those bands, this is a song that hits me right in the good feeling areas of my brain.

Every musician in this band shines through at some point and the more you listen, the more you notice/hear on this record. After a week of almost constant play, this is an impressive record. The guitars are complex, fast and accurate. The drummer is a beast, ranging from blast beats to off -tempo fills that really provide good transitions and support. The bassist can lurk under the riff or kick into overdrive and pace three guitarists at once. And the vocals? With a huge range and the ability to maintain control at the lows and highs, he is a great fit for this band.

This is a well-written, well-produced record that has something for most metal lovers. This is a band that will stay in my catalog and will make it will end up getting played in my car or at work. I look forward to their next record already!