Serpentine Circle Of Knives























Serpentine return with their third album due to be released on April the 23rd on AOR Heaven.

With the departure of vocalist Matt Black to pastures new with Fahran and also bass player Gareth Vanstone due to illness it has taken a couple of years but now with this shiny new disc Serpentine are back with a bang.

Serpentine welcome new vocalist Adam Payne and bass player Owen Crawford to the fold and with producer Gary Hughes of Ten fame went about making what could be the best album of their career.

Long term members Chris Gould on guitar,Roy Millward on drums and Gareth David Noon on keyboards have embraced the new guys and with a slight change in musical style from AOR to a more melodic rock slant but still very much Serpentine to any long term fan worried about any change.

Season Of The Witch is a great opener after a gentle keys intro the rest of the band kick in and just before the first vocal Chris Gould on guitar plays a short fiery solo.Adam Payne vocal style is close to Gary Hughes and fits the driving rhythm perfectly with Gareth's keys adding a real depth to the music.Huge chorus and after a slower piece the music builds up to Chris's first guitar solo and he nails it with a fast fingered melodic solo.
A real statement of intent of the power of the new Serpentine.

La Tragedienne has plenty of Chris guitar melodies added over a song powered by Roy's drumming alongside Gareth's keys.An upbeat melodic rocker with an even bigger chorus than before with Adam showing his full range and the band show plenty of light and shade giving the song even more power as it kicks in.

Forever has a rolling riff with the vocals to the fore over a stop start rhythm before the band kick in pre chorus and it builds to a chorus from the Gary Hughes school of choruses.A lengthy solo from Chris with a couple of different styles show the man's class and not just a flurry of notes.



The Hardest Fall is melodic hard rock with a hard riff and fast rhythm with the keys from Gareth shining through and the best chorus on the album with Adam showing his full range and tone.Chris's guitar solo again matches the pace of the song and he adds some superb guitar melodies to the end of the song.

Bleed starts all weepy guitar solo over keys with the albums first ballad and Adam's vocal melody excels and shows why he is a perfect fit for the band and style of music.Chris nails a just so guitar solo that tells a story as it develops before the song goes out the way it came in with Chris's guitar soloing over Adam's vocal line.

Where Does Your Heart Beat Now has a big keys intro before a mid paced rocker with a chugging riff that leads into a big chorus with the keys playing alongside the vocal.The second verse starts and stops and builds back to the chorus.Chris's solo is top drawer again.

Bound By The Strings Of Discord is the albums hardest hitting song with pounding drums and riffs and some nifty bass work driving the song along.

Circle Of Knives is an epic song with a key and guitar intro that leads into a keyboard led riff and plenty of time changes and different soundscapes and picks up leading into the chorus.The second verse has the guitar up a little in the mix on something that wouldn't be out of place on a Magnum album.

Such A Long Way Down opens with Chris's guitar to the fore with a nifty solo before a quieter interlude and the keys again high in the mix on a song nearer to their previous AOR leanings.Chris appears a couple of times with solo's that inject a harder edge.Adam's vocal is very pure and mellow.

Suicide Days ends the album with Adam scream echoing across Chris's hard edged riff before a keyboard led riff leads the band on a tune that I am sure will become a live favourite.

Circle Of Knives is a welcome return for Serpentine and with a stable line up in place and this top quality release under their belts watch them soar.




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