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Serpent's Knight: Silent Knight of Myth and ...
Serpent's Knight Silent Knight of Myth and Destiny new music review

Serpent's Knight: Silent Knight of Myth and Destiny

Heavy Metal
Rating: 3.0/5.0

Shadow Kingdom Records
www.myspace.com/serpentsknight
Review: Craig Hartranft,  05.09.2010

In the glory days of 80's rock and metal, if you stacked every band who was trying to make it in the business from end to end, they would probably reach from New York to LA. Now subtract the amount that actually had the talent to possibly make it, and the actual line might cut off at the Missippi River. Then subtract the number who actually did deserive a record contract, and the line may stop at Harrisburg. Somewhere in there fits Seattle's Serpent's Knight, an early American heavy metal band that bridged a gap between the dark and heavy Sabbath with early NWOBHM. Adding Warrel Dane's (later to Sancturay) interpretation of Halford on vocals and you will have a snapshot of those fundamental years. Silent Knight of Myth and Destiny is a two disc compilation of two releases Released from the Crypt (1983) and 3000 Degrees in the Shade (1989).

Essentially, this is vintage early 80's American heavy metal from those magnificent tape-trading days. Actually, Released from the Crypt is remastered from tapes (probably cassette from the quality). The subterrean sound production comes from a recording by equipment made by tinkertoys in a basement. Hey, it's the best that many bands could do back then to get there music down and out there. 3000 Degrees in the Shade is a bit better, but not by much. Musically, I preferred Serpent's Knight's first recording (despite Dane's screeching, uneven vocals), with the cover of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit a real highlight.

The two CD pacakge comes with a lengthy history of the band, which is barely readable thanks to the graphic layout, and many interesting pictures. The pictures will make you either grimace in pain or laugh in absurdity. However, they display how it really was 'back in the day.' This is what the bands and fans did look like. (I remember; I was there, and I recall some of the dumbass clothing I wore to concerts.) Some of the most remarkable, and hilarious, pictures are from a photo shoot of the band in a traditional church. Serpent's Knight, in full metal regalia are posing before a stain glass image of Jesus Christ as the Great Shepherd. Freaky. True fans of heavy metal history will have to pick up Serpent's Knight's Silent Knight of Myth and Destiny.

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In Short

A snapshot of 80's American heavy metal, Silent Knight of Myth and Destiny is a two disc compilation of two releases Released from the Crypt (1983) and 3000 Degrees in the Shade (1989) from Seattle's Serpent's Knight, and vintage stuff for true heavy metal historians.

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