''Break the Silence'' is the fourth studio album by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

band

van Canto Van Canto (sometimes stylized as van Canto) is a German a cappella metal band, founded in 2006 and composed of six singers and a drummer. Although the group is often classified as an a cappella ensemble, they use real drums in their music, inst ...

, released on 23 September 2011. It reached number 23 in the German charts. It features 13 tracks, five of them being covers, and two of them featuring guest artists: Joakim Brodén (from

Sabaton A sabaton or solleret is part of a knight's body armor that covers the foot. History Fourteenth and fifteenth century sabatons typically end in a tapered point well past the actual toes of the wearer's foot, following fashionable shoe shapes o ...

) guest appears in his band's cover "Primo Victoria",

Marcus Siepen Marcus Siepen (born 8 September 1968) is a German guitarist, best known as the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of power metal band Blind Guardian. For the biggest percentage of Blind Guardian's songs, particularly in more recent years, he ...

(from

Blind Guardian Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed ''Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on wh ...

Critical reaction

Metal.de rated it 9/10. The Age of Metal called it a "jewel", praising its production and innovation. Metal Storm rated it 8.4/10. Laut.de was less complimentary, suggesting it would be better not to break the silence and calling it "as unnecessary as a goiter".

Track listing

Personnel

;Van Canto *Dennis Schunke (Sly) – lead vocals *Inga Scharf – lead vocals (effects) *Stefan Schmidt – lower rakkatakka vocals, wahwah solo guitar vocals (rhythm, lead on solos) *Ross Thompson – higher rakkatakka vocals (lead) *Ingo Sterzinger (Ike) – lowest dandan vocals (bass) *Bastian Emig – drums, piano on "Master of the Wind" ;Guest musicians *Joakim Brodén (

) - male vocals on "Primo Victoria" *

(

Blind Guardian Blind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in 1984 in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres.Flowing Tears Flowing Tears was a German gothic metal band founded in 2003 in Wadgassen. Their original name was Flowing Tears & Withered Flowers, which they used for their first several releases. The band's final lineup consisted of vocalist Helen Vogt, gui ...

) - female vocals on "A Storm to Come"

References

2011 albums Napalm Records albums Van Canto albums {{2010s-metal-album-stub