MIKE LEPOND’S SILENT ASSASSINS – Whore Of Babylon

The third full-length album by Mike Lepond’s Silent Assassins, Whore of Babylon, seeks to forge a union between the world of Heavy Metal and some of the most chilling characters from ancient history. The Symphony X bassist wrote every piece of the album from the instruments to the lyrics to the vocal melodies. Lepond said he was inspired to write this album after years of watching The History Channel.

“Dracul’s Son” kicks the album off with quite possibly some of the fastest riffs and double kicks you’ve heard on any Metal album this year. It tells the tale of Vlad The Impaler. Alan Tecchio’s vocals are maniacal yet still melodic as he is backed by a haunting choral section. “Ides of March” starts off with Lepond’s chunky bass riffs until galloping guitars take over. The bass riffage returns just before Julius Cesar meets his fate. Lepond’s eight string bass runs are rather unique on “Tell Tale Heart.” They represent the beating heart, or conscious if you will, of the murderer from that Edgar Allen Poe classic.

“Inborn” is Lepond’s tribute to Game of Thrones and is loaded with plenty of fury and firepower. The track makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the battle. Elizabeth Bathory aka The Blood Countess is the subject of “Lady Bathory.” The music sets the perfect scene for such a wicked character that bathed in the blood of virgins to stay young. “Power of Steel” is a nod to the medieval battles that Manowar was known to write about. It’s power chord heavy and Tecchio’s vocals command the narrative. “Whore of Babylon” is just as seductive as the she-devil that’s luring you in to take your soul. “Avalon” is an 8+ minute roller coaster ride of ever changing tempos. It covers the story of King Arthur.

“Night of the Long Knives” comes in at about the halfway point of the album with Celtic guitars and marching drums. It’s such a change in intensity and flow that it stalls what came before it. It’s about the battle of the Britons and Saxons, but it’s not as exhilarating as the other calls to combat songs on the album. The ballad “Champion” follows “Knives” and slows things down even more. Guest vocalist Sarah Teets of Mindmaze has the pipes of a Broadway songstress in this tribute to the U.S. Military. Both songs are decent on their own, but dampen the overall magnitude of the album.

Whore of Babylon is full of Heavy Metal ferocity, frenzy, and epic power. It wavers briefly in the middle, but quickly recovers. If you had the choice to learn about some of the darkest characters of the past from The History Channel or from Mike Lepond’s Silent Assassins, the choice is clear. The songs on Whore of Babylon paint such a great picture that you can envision these dark tales playing out in your head.

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Tracklist

1. Dracul Son
2. Ides of March
3. Tell Tale Heart
4. Night of the Long Knives
5. Champion
6. Ironborn
7. Lady Bathory
8. Power of Steel
9. Whore of Babylon
10. Avalon