Silent Temple - Marvelers of Creation (2020)

‘Silent Temple’ are one of those bands that you just cannot ‘Pidgeon Hole’ a band richly endowed with oodles of talent, that is, from the entire perspective of musicians and vocalists, an interesting conglomerate indeed. You can only wonder at the majesty of their music and at the diversity of their output. Such diversity that embraces a preverbal A to Z of modern music with essences of jazz, folk, rock, new world and elements of classical symphonic progressive rock. Based in Portland. Oregon. The focal point and director of this lush gathering of top-notch but relatively unknown musicians is multi-instrumentalist ‘Amos Hart’.

However, before the sprites of the ancient forest could give sanction to the creation of the ‘Silent Temple’ we travel back to 2013 to the town of Ames, in Story County where our story comes to fruition and the building blocks for a future band were firmly sown with Amos releasing a solo recording and setting in motion the start of the fairy-tale. The next piece of the jigsaw that neatly fitted into place was when bassist ‘Mike Ewers’ joined Amos at music school in Chicago and offered the opportunity to gig around the Chicago bars and art venues. Subsequently, the idea of ‘Silent Temple’ became a reality and eventually attracting other fine musicians to the throng. Also, maybe with a tinge of sadness towards their own bands, due to the virus situation, enabling the two female vocalists, Rossi and Natti, to climb aboard the ‘Silent Temple’.

‘Marvelers of Creation’ comprises five quite divergent tracks which truly showcase the complete excellence of this band in its entirety from so many different angles that is especially the instrumental prowess of the musicians and the musical aptitude of the vocalists where the timings and arrangements are pitch-perfect. The male and female (Amos, Rossi and Natty Isabel I presume) two / three-part harmonies are a real joy to behold each of the vocalists having an unbelievable range with perfect pitch.

The Incredible jazz-tinged bass guitar brings an additional dimension and a further focal point to the proceedings with interesting, very clever and tricky note progressions. The lead guitar certainly has some very fine moments too bursting forth from the pack of keyboards. Such a subtle tone sufficient to grace that of any ‘Steely Dan’ album.

The range of delightful keyboards are as diverse as the music itself with swathes of lavish chord structured and sometimes treated piano, spooky organ (wow!) and elements of synthesiser making the odd infill appearance to colour the various soundscapes.

The solid platform to the music and whose contributory importance cannot be ignored is the wonderful drumming and dynamic timekeeping throughout. The high level of compositional and vocal musical arrangements are truly amazing, this is certainly a band of the future. Music that is both interesting and unique, especially the connotations in relation to nature and mother earth.

Summary: A new dimension of rock music combining the essence of jazz within an adornment of subtle folky progressive rock.



Track List:
01 - Sunset Scene (00:02:34)
02 - Mountains (00:07:28)
03 - Captive To The Moon (00:14:15)
04 - Nobody Watches the Sunrise (00:05:22)
05 - Color Queen (00:06:59)
06 - Ain't No Hell For Sinners (00:05:03)
07 - Eyes of a Child (00:08:34)
08 - Round the Bend (00:01:51)
09 - Zeta (00:07:55)
10 - Go Away (00:08:07)
11 - Visitation (00:02:13)
12 - Break Through To The Light (00:08:23)
13 - Sacred Woodlands (00:14:20)
14 - Listen to the Heart (00:05:08)

- Amos Hart / piano, organ, keyboards, 12-string acoustic guitar, alto recorder, vocals
- Mike Ewers / 5-string fretless bass
- Harrison Games / drums
- Owen Kelley / electric guitar
- Natty Isabell / vocals
- Rossi / vocals

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