by Justin Gaines
– Sr. Columnist —
Danish Melodic Progressive Metal band Section A is back after a six-year absence with a new studio album, titled Wall of Silence. It’s the band’s fourth overall, and the first Section A album not to feature vocalist Anders Engberg. His replacement is a relative newcomer named Nicklas Sonne. Drums on Wall of Silence are performed by Dennis Hansen (Fatal Force). Multi-instrumentalist Torben Enevoldsen once again handles everything else.
Between the six-year absence and the lineup changes, you might expect a different sound to emerge on Wall of Silence, but this is very much in keeping with where Section A was headed on their previous album (2010’s Sacrifice). There’s still a technicality, especially in the guitars, but Section A’s brand of Prog Metal is decidedly melodic and has plenty of power metal elements in the mix. It’s more Tad Morose and Circle II Circle than Dream Theater, and that’s not a bad thing at all. The crunchier guitars, heavier rhythms, and catchier melodies come together really well here. On the vocal side, Sonne is a major force. He’s somewhere between Zak Stevens and Urban Breed and has real power and this smooth/gruff tone that is just perfect for melodic metal.
There are nine tracks on Wall of Silence, and none that you’d really call filler. The title track gets the whole thing started with a heavy, powerful energy and a super-catchy chorus, and “How Long,” “Finding the One” (which could have come from a classic Tad Morose album) and “Holding On” are also highlights.
It’s good to see Section A back, especially sounding this invigorated. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a long collaboration between Enevoldsen and Sonne. If you were a Section A fan before, Wall of Silence should not disappoint. And if you’re new to the band but enjoy melodic/progressive/power metal bands like Circle II Circle, Tad Morose, DGM and Masterplan, Section A is a band that’s well worth discovering.
Genre: Progressive Metal, Melodic Metal
Lineup:
Torben Enevoldsen (g) (b) (k)
Nicklas Sonne (v)
Dennis Hansen (d)
Track Listing:
1. Wall of Silence
2. Finding the One
3. All That Matters
4. No Tomorrow
5. How Long
6. Pray For Freedom
7. Bleeding Chains
8. Holding On
9. When All Is Failing
Label: Mausoleum Records
Website: www.facebook.com/sectionatheband
Hardrock Haven Rating: 8.25/10
