Author Topic: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)  (Read 2275 times)

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Offline T-ski

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Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« on: September 27, 2019, 05:54:42 PM »
Evergrey vocalist Tom Englund has paired up with Redemption's keyboardist Vikram Shankar....

"If you voice Scandinavian melancholy and let it run through the virtuosic fingers of an Oberlin Conservatory film score graduate, you get Silent Skies. It is the sum of two individual musical journeys that came together by coincidence; some would even call it fate.

Tom S. Englund, vocalist of Swedish band Evergrey, and Vikram Shankar's ways crossed when Englund saw Shankar re-interpret one of his compositions on piano on YouTube. A swift email suggesting a collaboration gave birth to ideas of a musical landscape rooted in cinematic, film score music, driven by Shankar's tender and emotive piano playing, but with the added sound of Englund's unique and charismatic vocals and strong melodic sensibility.

The compositions are both bleak and hopeful, setting a sombre tone, and with lyrics that stem from self-reflection and existential contemplation, the atmospheric music of Silent Skies is engrossing and hypnotizing, evoking in the listener visions for the inner eye."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3QRzZfMQUw

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Offline goo-goo

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2019, 07:56:21 PM »
This sounds very promising. I love Tom's voice in this setting. Some of his best songs comes like this, in a piano setting. And Vikram is a great talent. His Lux Terminus material is stunning.

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2019, 09:39:50 AM »
Vik is great, but Tom sounds so meh.
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Offline ErHaO

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2019, 03:59:30 PM »
I really dig it, wasn't familiar with Lux.


Vik is great, but Tom sounds so meh.

On this specifically or do you not enjoy Tom in general?

Offline Grappler

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2019, 06:50:21 PM »
I love it....have been a Tom fanboy since I discovered Evergrey 16 years ago, and Vikram is an incredible pianist.  Can't wait to hear more.

Offline The Walrus

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2019, 06:53:09 PM »
Vik is great, but Tom sounds so meh.

On this specifically or do you not enjoy Tom in general?

I don't like him in general. He's not a good singer imo... also Evergrey is just so angsty. I kinda wish this was just an instrumental with Vik free to go wild, in a different manner than LT which is fantastic.
From a Mega Man Legends island jamming power metal to a Walrus listening to black metal, I like your story arc.
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Offline ErHaO

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2019, 03:38:21 PM »
Vik is great, but Tom sounds so meh.

On this specifically or do you not enjoy Tom in general?

I don't like him in general. He's not a good singer imo... also Evergrey is just so angsty. I kinda wish this was just an instrumental with Vik free to go wild, in a different manner than LT which is fantastic.

Ah, well then it makes sense. I personally really enjoy Tom but he has a very recognizable/distinct tone to him, that may not always resonate with people.

I have zero  experience with the other guy, but will check that out someday.

Offline Mebert78

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2022, 10:11:14 AM »
I've had the new album, Nectar, on repeat for the past couple of weeks.  What an amazing album.  I love it.
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Offline obelix5150

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2023, 06:06:39 PM »
Vik from Silent Skies here - just a note that our new album Dormant releases Sept. 1 via Napalm Records. It's not a proper first single (that comes in a few weeks) but we released a cover of "The Trooper" as well: https://youtu.be/qMXS0JF8DTs

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2023, 06:12:03 PM »
Vik from Silent Skies here - just a note that our new album Dormant releases Sept. 1 via Napalm Records. It's not a proper first single (that comes in a few weeks) but we released a cover of "The Trooper" as well: https://youtu.be/qMXS0JF8DTs

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2023, 06:57:58 AM »
Vik from Silent Skies here - just a note that our new album Dormant releases Sept. 1 via Napalm Records. It's not a proper first single (that comes in a few weeks) but we released a cover of "The Trooper" as well: https://youtu.be/qMXS0JF8DTs

Spun that the other day.  Really nice arrangement!  Tom (as usual) sounds great.
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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2023, 11:17:02 AM »
Is anyone interested in reviewing this one?

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Offline obelix5150

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Re: Silent Skies (Tom Englund & Vikram Shankar)
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2023, 07:42:36 PM »
For those interested, we released our third album Dormant last week. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts!