It’s been over four and a half years since I last saw Silent Voices live but thankfully they’re back with a live album to hopefully satisfy my hunger until the next time I get the chance to see them live.
Darkest Night In Europe is from their hometown show in Kokkola on their 2015 European tour and it’s a fantastic listen that really embodies their live show (no doubt helped by their hometown crowd, which was billed as one of the loudest, craziest and biggest crowds of the tour).
There’s no doubting that Silent Voices absolutely deliver in a live environment and there’s plenty of excellent inclusions to be found on Darkest Night In Europe. It’s always a pleasure to hear songs such as On The Wings Of Rage and Blood Of Eden as well as newer songs like Black Water and their latest single Darkest Night, and their cover of Black Sabbath’s Cross Of Thorns is a nice touch as well. The mix of the album is fantastic, sounding nice and crisp whilst not losing the ‘club show’ vibe, and the intensity delivered by all five members is something to behold. You can really feel the energy brimming out of the piece, and it definitely makes you eager to see the band live, which is exactly what you want from a live album!
My only complaint is that the album is missing Once Lost Life. After seeing it performed in Cardiff with the might of vocalist Teemu’s voice (note: the recorded version featured their old singer) I was hoping it would become a staple of their set because of how stunning it was – but if my only ‘gripe’ with the album is that it’s missing a song because of my own personal preferences, this surely highlights what a strong piece it is overall.
All in all, this album is a great bit of work. Live albums can be a little hit or miss, but Silent Voices have hit the bullseye with Darkest Night In Europe. Make sure you don’t miss this one.
9/10
