It’s been nearly seven years since I reviewed an independently-released debut album from a power metal band out of Orangeville, Ontario. I liked the first Borealis record then, and unlike some of the other albums that briefly captured my attention over the years, World of Silence has stayed with me. I’m always happy for a chance to hear it again.
My fondness for the record means I have mixed feelings about the 2017 re-recorded re-release from AFM Records last week. Borealis is talented, and these songs hold up – they deserve the attention this new version could generate, and they deserve anything a higher budget and more sophisticated recording process might bring to the table.
In its 2017 form, World of Silence is more powerful. But it might also be more calculated – though I’m willing to concede that my own emotional attachment to the earlier recordings might be colouring my perception.
If you already have a copy of World of Silence and don’t need a re-introduction to Borealis, well, maybe World Of Silence MMXVII isn’t for you. But if you don’t know the record, or haven’t heard what Borealis sounds like now, do not hesitate. These songs are well worth your time in whatever form you can get your ears on.
Listen
Borealis – World Of Silence MMXVII (AFM)
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In February 2009 I reviewed World of Silence by Borealis for Exclaim.
