Swedish Metal has produced its fair share of quality Power/Progressive Metal but one of the first was Silver Mountain. Silver Mountain’s early works were hotly traded about the underground and all expected grand things for the group’s future. At the same time Sweden’s favorite Metal son, Yngwie Malmsteen, was drilling his way into the very fabric of the world-wide Metal scene and he began to harvest the most skilled of his own country-men to compliment his Rising Force band and the Silver Mountain took the hit head on. Keyboardist Jens Johansson and Drummer Anders Johansson left Silver Mountain for Malmsteen’s pack and their former group never fully recovered.
Many years and many miles later the original four musicians that comprised Silver Mountain took a break from their current projects, (Jens with Stratovarious, Anders with Hammerfall and bassist Per Stadin with Glenn Hughes), and took a look back. The band dug up some unreleased or unrecorded numbers and gave them a second chance in the studio and the results are now available as the current “Breakin’ Chains” masterpiece.
Neo classical moments of electric extreme ala early Rainbow dominate the disc with each track a treasure but a few standouts do make themselves known. “Scarlet Pimpernel” and “Felo de se” are instant classics that by themselves justify the four musicians effort to produce the entire disc.
It is not likely that this disc will cause a mass of commercial excitement but for those who own sizable collections dedicated to Blackmore, Schenker and Mamlsteen you will be needing to add the men on this Silver Mountain to your regular rotations.
written by David Lee Wilson
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Tracklist
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| 1. Prophet Of Doom |
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2. Before The Storm |
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3. Felo De Se |
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4. Man Of No Present Existence |
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5. Scarlet Pimpernel |
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6. Maniac |
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7. Axeman And The Virgin |
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8. Breakin' Chains |
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9. Rider Of The Night |
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10. A.S.W.A.S.T. |
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11. The Butterfly |
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12. Dance Around The Fire |
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13. Millattack |
Playing time: 50.31
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Buy other Silver Mountain albums
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