These kids (they are all quite young) have taken power metal and crossed it with both the melody of the Swedish metal scene and a bit of the fretboard gymnastics of their fellow Finns. The musicianship throughout "Silence" is exquisite. "Revontulet", the tenth track, is an instrumental which runs about a minute and half and is astonishing in it's precision on both the guitar and keyboard. Other tracks, while not quite as showy, are more than competent. "Land of the Free" sounds like a Children of Bodom track with singing, rather than raspy, death screams. As a matter of fact, the vocals are the only place where the band comes anywhere close to being substandard. Typically of the power metal style, the frontman employs falsetto and harmonious singing. Recorded at Tico-Tico and mastered at Finnvox Studio (two staples of the Finnish metal scene), this one comes out great. You can hear every intricate detail going on at all times. From ballads like "Tallulah" to more fast, paced tracks like "Black Sheep", this band is on top of their game.

As much as I bash the power metal genre, every once in a while a disc like "Silence" makes me realize that there are exceptions to the rule. This is a very important disc and Sonata Arctica are already being recognized by the world's metal press as one of the most important newcomers in the metal scene, as highlighted by some awards they've won. I would have to concur with these accusations. If you like power metal, this album is a must have and even if you don't, this album deserves your attention on it's musical merit alone.