Moonlight Agony
Silent Waters

June 2007
Released: 2007, Dockyard 1/Sound Pollution
Rating: 1.5/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

Moonlight Agony is now releasing their second album. The debut was called ECHOES OF A NIGHTMARE, and the highlight of their career was when they opened for the German metal queen Doro. The band plays a weird mix of symphonic progressive metal mixed with power metal and orchestral features. Unfortunately, it sounds really bad. The bio says that “in an era where trends and gimmicks rule Moonlight Agony are creating music with heart and soul and providing a rich and enthralling listening experience.” Well, that might be what the band aimed for, but is definitely not something they achieved.

It feels like Moonlight Agony are inspired by Dream Theater, Symphony X, Blind Guardian, and Evergrey, but the music on SILENT WATERS doesn’t convince me at all. The band mixes too many musical styles and in the long run it all gets too messy to listen to.

All of the band members are pretty young and they really know how to handle their instruments, but they need a little more time to work on the material. The weakest link is the band’s lead singer David Åkesson who has too weak of a voice. He can’t carry the songs properly and he also has trouble pronouncing English.

There’s nothing majorly wrong with the basic songs, but again, most parts feel borrowed and already used before. The young band has a lot to work on before they can be cited in the same sentence with Dream Theater and Evergrey.

Moonlight Agony sure have the ability to become something big in the future, but they need to work a lot more before they get their big breakthrough.