Rough Silk: The Greatest Band You've Never Heard Of Before, Part II

“So you were born where the black cats stray,

Back on your feet - that's the price you got to pay,

For daylight dreams in the midnight hour…

Intelligence is power!

To find a rose way down below,

Scared to death where egos grow;

Whenever a wish cuts like a knife,

Then life goes on,

On and on - tomorrow I'll be gone,

But life goes on”
From “Life Goes On,” from the album Circle of Pain, 1996

I have not shied away from stating that Savatage is just about my favorite band over the last year or so. Now, I have discovered one that could be called a carbon of Savatage, and I do not mean Trans-Siberian orchestra. Rough Silk is the next of my groups you have probably never heard of before series. Rough Silk combines classical, symphonic elements with straight ahead hard rock/metal. They are very piano friendly, notice not keyboard, but piano friendly.
They sing about life and the components therein, and their Circle of Life CD is perhaps the best of the lot.

Their music has an ebb and flow that will cause anyone to feel the pulse of the bass mixed with the sophistication of the guitars, the pound of the drums, and always the piano and keyboards accentuating the lot. Their vocalists are clear and sharp, but lead vocalist Jan Barnett has a deliberately fragile quality to his range. Just when you think he might lose the control of the voice; bang, he delivers with a passion and power. When Jan left, Thomas Ludolphy took over. After he departed, keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg assumed command.

This band is one of the finest German Power Metal bands there is. Aside from the fore-mentioned Circle of Pain album, I really enjoyed Mephisto, despite its bizarre cover. I also grew to enjoy Beyond The Sundown, as it arguably has the best cover. The band at times can have the vocal arrangements of Meatloaf and at times, they remind me of George Harrison in the choruses, and no, I am not kidding. There are comparisons to be made with Queen as well, especially on the Symphony of Life album, even more especially on the song “Under the Guillotine” Still in the background, there is a not-so hidden homage to Savatage, so much so, that Jon Olivia is a guest on the Symphony of Life album.

Their albums are not the easiest to find, but seek them out. They are power metal at its best.

The Rough Silk official website: http://www.rough-silk.com/index.php