What truly makes Regicide unique are three of its members. Female vocalist Frauke Richter sounds sweet and delicate yet just as assured as male vocalist Timo Südhoff. Then there’s violinist Jonna Wilms (replaced by Nicola Köcher after "Silence" was released), who adds a vitality that grabs the listener’s attention. Add in the rest of the band – Heiner Jaspers on keyboards, Jan Janssen on guitars, Malte Hunold on bass, and Til Kasmann on drums – and you’ve got an atmospheric, dynamic rock/metal sound that makes Regicide stand out from other female-fronted bands.

"Break the Silence" opens with the soaring "Plastic Doves." It starts with an unusual atmosphere created by low piano notes and staccato violin-playing, but its chorus is hauntingly beautiful. The second track, "The Hangar-On," is brooding yet energetic, with catchy melodies and unforgettable guitar and violin hooks. This is followed by "Pirates," a dramatic and spirited number that would have been perfect as a theme song for the "Pirates of Caribbean" movie trilogy, thanks to Jonna’s rustic violin and swashbuckling lyrics.

Throughout the rest of the album, no two songs sound alike. "Nothing in Here" has a waltz-like rhythm, and its lyrics tell a profound message of accepting yourself as an individual. Timo takes the lead on the groovy and Arabic-tinged "A World Without Oceans," and Frauke’s pleasant background vocals give this song a nice touch. The off-beat title track is also a highlight – and so is its ambient, guitar-laced intro that escalates into the band’s full power.

Regicide’s crowning achievement on this album, however, is the nine-minute conclusion to the "Embracing Space" series that began on "Viorus." "An Embracing Space Part III: Eclipsing Lights" is playful, vigorous, and emotive – a fusion of the best elements of Regicide’s music. It tantalizes listeners with changes in tempo and mesmerizes with Frauke and Timo’s pitch-perfect harmonizing. In other words, it’s exactly what an epic song should sound like.

The weak spots of "Break the Silence" are few and far between. Clichéd lyrics make "This Unpredictable Life" and "Forgotten Promises" sound unoriginal, and the music is not as strong in either piece. Also, Timo’s semi-aggressive vocals on some songs feel out of place. Otherwise, the music on this album is striking and colorful, and Frauke and Timo’s vocals compliment each other very well.

And so "Break the Silence" does more than what Regicide had set out to accomplish. It doesn’t just break the silence – it shatters it completely and brilliantly.

9 / 10