REVIEW: VERITAS – Silent Script

 

VERITAS – Silent Script

Wormholedeath

The story of VERITAS begins back in the somewhat distant year of 2012. Their first official work was released in 2019 and was the EP bearing the name of the band. Then, in 2020, they released their debut album titled "Threads of Fatality," and in 2023, they presented their most recent work, titled "Silent Script."

Hailing from Kansas, USA, they musically honor the American metal tradition of the 1980s. In short, they operate in a genre that for convenience we call U.S. power metal. At the same time, they enrich their sound with progressive metal and more technical elements, giving the 12 compositions of the album an adventurous aesthetic and variety.

In my personal opinion, based on my experience as a listener of the genre, the band's sound can be compared to bands such as early SAVATAGE, early FATES WARNING, TITAN FORCE, STEEL PROPHET, and at times, their fellow countrymen CAGE during the "Unveiled" period. I believe the influence from FATES WARNING is further strengthened by the involvement of the great drummer Mark Zonder in the band's lineup.

Interpretively, the compositions stand out for their theatricality and drama. This is attributed to the technically flawless and passionate performance of the band's vocalist, Denny Anthony.

The impression this particular work left on me is that VERITAS, leveraging the high technical ability of its members while avoiding unnecessary excesses, has managed to create an album that, on one hand, overflows with nostalgia for the traditional U.S. progressive power metal sound, while on the other hand, sounds fresh and revitalizing for the genre.

When asked if I would recommend this work to fans of U.S. progressive power metal, particularly to fans of the bands I mentioned above, the answer can only be a simple and absolutely meaningful "YES."

Nick Parastatidis