CD Review: A Breach Of Silence - "The Darkest Road" (Eclipse Records)

With crisp production and perfect structures, A Breach Of Silence’s The Darkest Road is as much Killswitch Engage as it is Avenged Sevenfold, combining a dazzling array of all things heavy from thrash to power to (old school) metalcore; an album rife with unrelenting monsters and beastly stomping thrashers that rarely, if ever, take their foot off the gas (“The Darkest Road,” “Hang Em High,” “In Reality We Trust”). Shredding opener “TPNE” aka “The Party Never Ends” proves Attila isn’t the only band in town with the party game on lock down, while The Darkest Road spews forth pinpoint blast beats, galloping leaps and lead throated barks that effortlessly transition to clean tones when the mood strikes (“Lost At Sea,” “Hannibal,” “Dead and Destroyed”). And on top of that, “Immortal” is easily one of the best metal tunes you’ll come across this year (think a hybrid of Holy Diver-era Dio and modern day A7X) and vulnerable closing ballad, the piano-led “Time Still Remains,” is also a sheer sight to behold. On just their sophomore record, yes, this is only the bands second full length, A Breach Of Silence have already proved themselves worthy of being tabbed one of the next big things in metal.

Grade: A-

Go Download: “Immortal”