siLLy puPPy Have you ever wondered if certain bands were cryogenically preserved for several decades and then awakened totally unaware of the current musical world and decided to release the album that was supposed to be released before their long slumber? Well Sweden’s SILVER SERAPH gives me exactly that impression when i spin their eponymous debut and so far only release. While this was put out in 2001 it sounds like something that should have rightfully been unleashed unto the public way back in the 80s.

The project was created by Pete Sandberg (Midnight Sunk, Opus Atlantica) but also features Richard Andersson (Space Odyssey, Time Requiem, Majestic) on keyboards, Jens Lundahl on bass, Jörgen Birch-Jensen on guitar and Peter Wildoer on drums. The music is basically neoclassical power metal that has a throwback feel to the late 70s / early 80s and feels extremely primitive for its release date however it does have that awkward 90s feel of a neoclassical / glam metal band that suddenly feels inferior and tries to add a touch of alternative metal to the overall mix. I’m sorry to say, but this just ain’t flying with me.

To be honest, this would’ve been fairly mediocre for the 80s. It has a rather 70s Rainbow hard rock feel within the song compositions and rhythmic drive especially prevalent in the guitar and keyboard department but only occasionally flairs up to 80s standards. In reality, this is fairly weak. Sandberg’s vocals are fairly flat for a power metal vocalist, Birch-Jensen is no Malmsteen or Jason Becker as the solos are fairly cookie cutter and uninspiring and the drums of Wildoer are downright lazy. I’m blown away by how boring this album really is. The only “star” on board is Andersson with his keyboard contributions but even they are nothing new under the sun.

This was a hard album to sit through. It is so cliche, so trite and so inferior to anything to emerge as neoclassical or power metal that i simply cannot believe anyone thought that this was a good idea in the first place. The tracks are weak, the musicianship is lax and my attention span makes me feel like i’ve been banished to an inferior dimension parallel to the 80s where i’m forced to listen to crap like this for eternity. I would probably give this 3 stars if it did come out in the 80s but this is just pure crap for 2001. The track “Loving You” even tackles the stomach-hurling power ballad that was mandatory for pop glam metal bands of the 80s. Is this nostalgic? No! I’d rather listen to crappy Bon Jovi or Poison over this. The album is somewhat ok-ish but i’m left feeling pretty bored. This is no Symphony X for sure.