Album Review: Silent Skies - Nectar
Reviewed by Richard Oliver
Nectar is the second album from the SIlent Skies project which is the collaborative effort between singer Tom S. Englund (Evergrey) and keyboard player Vikram Shankar (Redemption). This is far removed from the metal acts both musicians are famed for being described as “Scandinavian melancholy and cinematic soundscapes” which is the most perfect description of the absolutely gorgeous music contained on this album.
Silent Skies very much build upon their debut album Satellites with ten new songs of heartbreak, melancholy and beauty. It’s a classic case of less is more with the focus being on the stunning vocals of Tom S. Englund and the delicate keys of Vikram Shankar. The only other musician who shows up is Leprous collaborator Raphael Weinroth-Browne who provides cello to every song adding an extra layer of atmosphere and emotion.
Emotion is the overriding factor of this album with every song laden with sombre melancholy from the delicate tones of Taper and The One to the darker tones of Leaving and Better Days. The music on the album manages to achieve sounding both minimalistic and utterly vast, conveying both darkness but with glimmers of hope throughout. Tom S. Englund has long been one of my favourite singers in metal and here his voice bleeds pure emotion and is at times utterly heartbreaking. The keyboards from Vikram Shankar are at times very stripped down and piano led whilst other times wholly cinematic and sounding like a full movie soundtrack.
I was a huge fan of previous album Satellites and was excited to hear what Tom S. Englund and Vikram Shankar would come up with on the follow up and I have not been left disappointed. Although very much in the same vein as Satellites, Nectar feels like a far more rounded album being wholly composed of original material. It may not be metal at all but fans of dark, melancholic and atmospheric music should really give this a listen. If the tender side of Evergrey and bands such as Anathema and Sigur Ros are your thing then Silent Skies comes very recommended.
