Breaking the Silence is the 2007 reunion album from Connecticut's legendary prog band Holding Pattern. After a strong debut album back in 1981 and plenty of touring, the band called it a day in the early 90's, with guitarist Tony Spada carrying the torch through a string of excellent solo albums. When interest in a reunion of the original band became too strong to ignore, Spada brought together Tony Castellano (bass,keyboards), Mark Tannenbaum (keyboards), and new drummer Rob Gottfried (although original drummer Robert Hutchinson plays on the live bonus track "Honor Before Dawn"), and the wheels were in motion. With Breaking the Silence, many of the trademark Holding Pattern sounds are in place, although greatly updated. Spada's guitarwork is front and center, and his lyrical, Steve Morse-ish chops dazzle throughout this release. As such, the songs have a very Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse Band/Kansas flavor to them, mixed in with some Genesis and Happy the Man styled keyboard stylings thanks for Tannenbaum and Castellano. As far as instrumental prog albums go, you really can't go wrong here. Songs like the majestic & melodic title track, the rip-snorting guitar/keyboard interplay of "Fishbulb", Spada's amazing solos on "Once As One", the complex "Out the Other", the atmospheric & dramatic "Like Waves" (which could have been a leftover from the Dixie Dregs album What If), and the Mellotron heavy "Honor Before Glory", all are just a joy to listen to. It's not often that instrumental albums work wonders as far as chops and memorable hooks go, but this one combines the two quite well together.
If you buy into any prog reunion albums this year, along with the new release from New York's Cathedral, this one's a no brainer. And yes, that's cover art from Paul Whitehead, in case you were wondering.
Track Listing
1 Flying Colors
2 Breaking the Silence
3 Fishbulb
4 Once as One
5 Out the Other
6 Back to the Tunnels
7 Blaster
8 Like Waves
9 Honor before Glory
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