The album kicks off with its title track and, after a big snare roll from Ali, the dual lead guitars of Bay and Rettkowitz lay down a fluid hook - and this opening melody really sets the tone for everything else which follows. The lack of a symphonic or atmospheric intro allows the action to get underway right from the off - with the crunchy guitar rhythms of the verses harking back to the way in which many of the band's classic tracks of old built up. There are similarities to the band's self-titled song during the verses, but the chorus feels faster-paced overall and a bit more typical 'power metal' in style with driving double bass drums and plenty of vocal harmonies. Freedom Call have always made use of keyboards, to varying levels of prominence, but this song is generally pretty crunchy - although there is a synth backing to the chorus and a few flashy melodies during the verses to accent Bay's vocals. A shredded guitar solo section later pulls everything together - and Freedom Call sound as up-tempo and hard rocking as always, with the song one that evokes everything which they do so well. Symphony of Avalon is similar overall, but the song is much pacier - with the crunchy verses replaced by much more of a double bass-led attack before a more mid-paced and anthemic chorus takes over to allow some fist-pumping vocal hooks to shine. I like the song, but it is one of two songs here in which the band, yet again, tell us that they are Freedom Call. Their self-referential lyrics are often pretty cringy and this song is no different - but the crunchy production and a pseudo-symphonic pre-chorus section does help the song to stand out somewhat. There is less of a focus on big guitar leads this time, too, although the chorus does have a guitar lead which sits nicely under Bay's vocals - and there is a guitar solo which feels more controlled than the previous effort. Supernova changes the tone again, somewhat, and goes for a more keyboard-led sound - with an opening synth riff and effects-heavy spoken word vocals morphing into a hooky intro which sees the synths and lead guitar harmonising. The song is a pure melodic feast from the off, then, and the hooks never let up throughout. The song is one of my favourites on the album thanks to how memorable it is - and there is a surprising amount of variety, too, thanks to heavier verses which give way to an AOR-esque pre-chorus complete with some really choppy vocal hooks. The chorus which then takes over is much more old-school power metal in feel with drawn out chord changes and vocal melodies. It is certainly one that would soar live and the same goes for the guitar solo, which is another that reins it in slightly and goes for a more melodic approach. This is Freedom Call at their best and an overall highlight here.
Infinity is somewhat similar, but the pace is upped overall to go for a faster sound. Crunchy guitar rhythms, with the occasional burst of machine gun double bass drumming, back a flashy synth hook early on - before another crunchy verse with an AOR keyboard backing allows Bay's voice plenty of space to breathe. Like the previous song, too, the track is a real melodic feast. I do not think that it is quite as good as Supernova, but there are only a few hairs in it width-wise - with a half-time pre-chorus allowing for a surprisingly groovy moment before the chorus really launches to the stars with some soaring vocal melodies and plenty of sci-fi synths. Out of Space changes the approach again somewhat, although a more synth-heavy sound is retained. Whilst much of what came before on this album sounded more old-school, this is a song which would have felt at home on any of the band's last few albums. It feels punchier overall and less soaring - with the synth hooks feeling quite modern pop in sound whilst the verses feature Ferraro's bass playing a bit more prominently. There are still plenty of Freedom Call's trademark hooks, though, with the chorus making use of the aforementioned synth melody as a backing for Bay's strident vocals. Distant Horizon is much more typical of the band's classic sound, though, with a faster pace overall - and the track is much more intense and guitar dominated, with the synths generally taking more of a backseat. The keyboard melodies are still there to provide an atmospheric backing throughout, with some choice accents during the verses, but overall this is very much a fast power metal song with Ali's driving double bass drumming keeping everything ticking. The chorus is another which feels pretty big overall, with the classic power metal trope of faster drumming and slower vocal hooks creating an epic contrast - whilst some busier guitar riffing and lead playing throughout give the song a complex edge, along with another shredded solo. In Quest of Love is similar and the song was one of those which really jumped out at me on my first listen to the album. It is another which has an old-school feel so it generally relies on its pace to see it succeed - even if parts of the verse slow down to a bit more of a crunch similar to how the album opened. Generally, though, this track is full of double bass flurries and plenty of crunchy riffing - with some choice synth hooks and another chorus which will stick in the brain after only a couple of listens. The instrumental section is a bit of a standout moment, too, thanks to some sci-fi synths crashing through the mix and another excellent guitar solo.
Blue Giant goes for a different sound again and slows the pace down quite significantly. There are no ballads here, but Blue Giant may well be the album's slowest piece - but there is still quite a bit of crunch here despite a more atmospheric approach overall. Some of the riffs are pretty doomy in the context of Freedom Call's generally pretty up-tempo sound, whilst atmospheric synths give the song a pretty big overall sound. The slower pace does allow Bay's voice plenty of room to breathe and he sounds great here as always. He may not be the most diverse of power metal singers, and he lacks the range of some of his peers, but his distinct tone is perfect for the band's sound - and he actually manages to inject a fair bit of emotion into this slower piece. The song is not as hooky as many of the others here but the change of pace is a welcome one. Meteorite picks the pace back up again and returns to the band's first few albums for inspiration - with the track being a hard-driving power metal anthem some with busier guitar playing and even some neo-classical melodies throughout. The synths are generally dialled back here with the song being much more guitar-led overall - and there are a few instrumental breaks which feature riffing that is busier than the norm for the band. Rettkowitz certainly cuts loose a little more, with some real guitar hero moments and a heavier overall tone - with a guitar solo which again channels some neo-classical influences. It is not a song which stood out initially for me, but over time it has risen up the album's ranks overall - and it has become a bit of a favourite thanks to its heavier feel and busy guitar approach. Big Bang Universe goes for more of a mid-paced feel overall and the track builds from a relatively slow intro towards a pretty anthemic chorus which explodes from pulsing AOR keyboards, double bass drum patterns, and some fist-pumping vocal hooks. It is only part of the song which is generally pretty fast, with the rest of the song feeling more grounded and crunchy. The bass gets a bit more of a chance to shine during the verses, then, but the song is one which grows in stature pretty gradually - with each verse restarting the build towards the more explosive chorus in a pleasing manner. This sort of arrangement is not exactly that original, but it is often pleasing when it is done well - and it helps the song to be something else than yet another fast power metal anthem.
New Haven is a bit more typical, though, but the crunch of the previous song has been retained - and there is less of a synth-heavy sound present this time. Despite this, though, the overall arrangement still feels pretty big. The dual guitar leads and the crunchy rhythms seem to have a heavier tone than is generally present elsewhere. This allows the opening riff and melodies to really shine, whilst the verses feel weighty thanks to the somewhat slower pace and the crunch of the guitar rhythms. The lack of constant double bass drumming allows for a punchier sound overall, too, and this is another track which could have sat on one of the band's more recent albums. It feels very focused on the main guitar hook and the gang vocal-aided chorus melodies - with the occasional synth backing adding some depth despite the heavier overall approach. High Above is somewhat similar, albeit with much more of a keyboard presence. The song opens with its chorus which is more of a mid-paced effort and backed with some busy synths - and this more restrained pace is kept up throughout. Having two mid-paced tracks in a row is perhaps a bit out of character for Freedom Call, who generally like to keep things on the faster side, but the two songs are quite different arrangement-wise so they contrast each other well. It is a song, though, which is very much reliant on its chorus - especially as it opens with it. The chorus is on the long side, too, and it is pretty repetitive so it is fair to say that there are plenty of better choruses here. It does stick in the brain, though, and the song is a fun, keyboard-heavy piece of melodic rock which reins in some of the crunch of elsewhere and provides a slight change of pace. The album then comes to a close with Metal Generation and it is the second song here which is self-referential. I tend to find these songs from the band on the more annoying side - and this one might be their most egregious effort on that front. I am not always that focused on lyrics when listening to music but when they are bad they tend to jump out - and this song has some pretty terrible lyrics. Metal bands writing songs about metal tends to be annoying and this is one of those songs - just with Freedom Call's strange desire to references themselves, too. They have done songs like this before so I did not really need another one - and it is a shame that the album ends on a bit of a flat note as much of what came before is very strong. Overall, then, and leaving the final track to one side, Silver Romance is another solid and enjoyable album from Freedom Call. The harking back to the band's early work is welcome and it is great to hear many fast-paced power metal anthems here with lots of old-school power metal tropes on display. Nothing here is original but it is generally executed well with plenty of strong choruses and shredded guitar solos so there is a lot to like for lovers of power metal.
The album was released on 10th May 2024 via Steamhammer/SPV GmbH. Below is the band's promotional video for Supernova.
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