Verisimilitude

Chances are you've never heard about Embassy of Silence before, and so was I- but that was changed at the moment I clicked the "Random Band" tab out of boredom- and magically, my gut started to sense something special about this album. It was right all way long.

In this album. the band shifted from a more gothic and progressive sound to a much more accessible and friendly version of their music- a decision that marks a downfall in most bands, but Embassy of Silence are a real special case, and this change marked a definite musical evolution and was a wise choice for the band and emphasizes the band's great potential even more. A great example of this is the first track of the album, Shame, Spin & Click-, which possesses a HUGE earworm inside it, and will get stuck in your head for weeks. Along wiith its catchiness, it has great musicianship, catchy choruses, fun lyrics, and their frontwoman, Ines Lukkanen, which definitely has one of the best female vocals in modern-day metal. She has a gigantic vocal range, which varies from gothic-like on Absurdoscope, to poppy in Moths, and very deep vocals in Dear Mr. Steele- a thing which contributes a great portion of quality into the album and glues the instruments with the

Many influences are shown in this album, with Dream Theater being the most distinguishable one. Dense song structures, intense and style-bending riffs and melodic solos, with the songs Absurdoscope and Thimble that suspiciously resemble some of their quality works. The gothic influences aren't missing from the album- and the last second tracks are a perfect exapmle of this, with the last one being the most obvious. In fact, it is an ode to the deceased Peter Steele, and the chilling, goosebump-spawning Type O Negative effect is felt throughout it. Another notable thing about this album is the use of synthesizers and effects in the album- they are dramatic, effective and boost the album's progressive and overall musical professionalism.

The lyrics focus on love-hate subjects, but are witty, fun, and humorous- another thing which was drawn from other progressive bands and even a bit from the band's idols Type O Negative (but without the black side of the humor):

"A regular whiz-kid with a cereal-box IQ
I’ve never met a nihilistic douchebag quite like you
A lasting impression and a memorable debut
Spew it back at the world that you eschew" (Flamer)

Overall, this album is really impressive, and the band should definitelט get more attention because they have great potential, and are one of the best new prog bands of the decade. Very recommended.