ALBUM REVIEW: Knot Over – SILVER R.I.S.C

Greek hard rock band SILVER R.I.S.C are finally back with their new album Knot Over, 30 years after the release of their debut – and until now only – album Anything She Does. The band themselves take heavy influence from a catalogue of 70s and 80s rock and metal bands, including VAN HALEN, BON JOVI and CINDERELLA, which they brought into the 90s with their debut. They disbanded soon after the release of that record, but reunited in 2019, and this is their first time releasing music in three decades. So, was it worth the wait and have they shown just how much we’ve missed out on in that time? Well, sort of.

Things start out strong with opening track Anna that feels immediately reminiscent of 80s metal in the intro, or even something like METALLICA’s Enter Sandman from the early 90s, which then shifts into something gentler with a style that automatically transports you to Greece in a lovely little homage to their roots. Things then shift when the full band kicks in and the album enters hard rock territory as they create something fun, fast, and nostalgic.

After this song you’d think that maybe they’d do this sort of thing on every track, with some unique twist on or homage to the rock genre, but unfortunately a lot of the tracks do fall into the trope of being stereotypical rock that, while nice to listen to, feels a little lacking in personality. Don’t get us wrong, it sounds good, and it feels nostalgic, but it feels a little like the band are holding onto that time instead of doing something new.

But there are songs that do stand out and one can only wish they had created more like them. There are tracks like Nothing For Me, that beautifully blends violins and dramatic vocals into a rock song that’s lovely to listen to; Evil Waves, that has some truly brilliant guitar chords and a solid solo that gets you pumped; Wasted Tears, a fun and bouncy track, that, whether intentionally or not, brings to mind LINKIN PARK’s In The End with the lyrics “tried so hard and got so far” (or maybe that’s just a phrase the majority of us won’t be able to hear differently).

There’s also the album’s closer Trapped Under Ice, which goes in a very different direction with sound effects that feel quite ethereal, like you’re floating through the clouds, that are then joined by an acoustic guitar and moody bass. Just when you think you know where things are going, suddenly the full band kicks in and the song switches gear into a solid classic rock track.

Overall, Knot Over is a fun album, if a little stereotypical, and it certainly feels like the right type of record if you need to put something on to boost your serotonin levels and to be transported back a few years.

Rating: 7/10

Knot Over is set for release on December 22nd via No Remorse Records.

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