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Red Silent Tides is my first exposure to Italy's Elvenking. Being the Power Metal fan that I am and with a band name like that, it's hard to figure out how they flew under my radar, but you can't listen to everything, I guess. If Red Silent Tides is any indication, I may have to go back and explore more of Elvenking's candy-sweet choruses and double-kick fantasy metal.

Red Silent Tides runs a gamut of Power Metal, Heavy Metal and even Hard Rock styles. Not traditionally "Italian" like Rhapsody of Fire, they still use keyboards extensively, though not on equal footing with the guitars. I hear a lot bands like Emerald Sun, Galloglass and even early Mob Rules in Red Silent Tides' faster tracks like "Your Heroes are Dead" and "This Nightmare Will Never End." On the other hand, mid-paced tracks like "What's Left of Me" or "The Last Hour" have a definite Hard Rock vibe that makes me think of bands like Honeymoon Suite. Not that Elvenking are THAT Hard Rock, they just write big hooks that would likely have landed them some airplay on radio back in the 80s. This is definitely "happy" Power Metal. Singer Damnagoras has an excellent, clear voice and the rest of the band members are all obviously talented. The songs are written so as to be immediately accessible yet reveal new subtleties with repeated listens, something I would recommend.

I can see how this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but Red Silent Tides is a fine Power Metal album, worthy of the time from fans of the genre.