SILVER MOUNTAIN -

SILVER MOUNTAIN - BREAKIN' CHAINS - REALITY
There is scant information to be had about this Silver Mountain release. Apparently, the latest album of the Swedish hard rockers, is less the product of a reformation and more a compilation of older and reworked material first released in Japan and later elsewhere. Musically, that is neither here nor there. Silver Mountain - the reference is right in the band's name - is a Rainbow-influenced hard rock unit reminiscent of music that ruled the late 70's. Rainbow, of course, is one of the most brilliant musical forays ever. Regrettably, Breakin' Chains is uninspired in the songwriting department. The individual musicians are clearly accomplished and a joy to listen to when taken in a personal context. Jonas Hansson's fingers tread an impressive path on the fret board. His vocals though are another story. His King Diamond-meets-Stratovarius voice does not quite find the mark. Moreover, the songs are hardly the stuff of legends. The album's opener is a good song, but the best segments are Silver Mountain's Classical adaptations. Those are not reason enough to purchase the music of a hard rock band - no matter the amount of the nostalgia factor. The CD comes with a video clip for the aforementioned song Prophet Of Doom. - Ali "The Metallian"