Swedish-American atmospheric melancholic duo, Silent Skies, are recently released  their new full-length, Dormant, via Napalm Records. One of the tracks featured on the album is a dark cover of the Iron Maiden classic, "The Trooper". Shankar spoke exclusively with BraveWords about remagining the song.

Shankar: "That specific somg choice came from Tom because he has a close attachment to Iron Maiden. I like and I respect Iron Maiden, but I don't have the same relationship with their music that Tom does. It's a great song, and when we were choosing the covers - we chose a lot more than the three on the album - I think we picked songs that people wouldn't expect us to do, typically because they're very different instrumentation. The way 'The Trooper' sounds originally is not the way we do it. It steps outside of metal and rock." 

Listening to our version, people might say 'I don't know if I've heard or ever appreciated or understood that there is something here.' Some metalheads who hear it might say 'This is weird, it's not doing anything for me.' But with all the covers we have done or will do, it's about thinking of the emotional essence behind the song, going into that core and seeing what's there. To see if we can express it in a potent way."

'The Trooper' is such a sad song. It's so sad, and you don't necessarily hear that when you watch Maiden sprint on stage all guns blazing, so to say. The story it tells is so sad, it's from history, and as we know history repeats itself. We especially started talking about doing 'The Trooper' when we heard about the invasion of Ukraine. It was foremost on our minds to see if we could give it the Silent Skies treatment."

Watch for the full BraveWords interview, coming soon.

Silent Skies’ third offering is melancholic and calming, yet effervescent and incandescent, expanding the duo’s sonic universe in every direction - it is the result of brave sonic experimentation married to the tastefully artistic aesthetic that defines the group. Throughout the varied peaks and valleys of their compositions, it is their powers of expression, and reflection on the human experience - in their own words, “conversations with life, about life” - that give their music the power to speak to a vast array of lived experiences, and reach people with diverse tastes, as long as they are interested in appreciating art as a reflection of life itself.

Silent Skies on Dormant: “We are thrilled to present Dormant, our third record, crafted with immense joy and offered with satisfaction and eagerness to share our heartfelt dedication over the past 18 months. With Dormant, Silent Skies propels itself further into more uncharted territory, embarking on a journey whose destination remains unknown even to us. Like passengers on a train, we embrace the excitement and exhilaration of the ride, relishing in the uncertainty of our future direction. The freedom of creativity is a vital source of energy for us during the composition and production journey for our music. Within Dormant, you will find a multitude of intricate details, a plethora of musical landscapes, and an abundance of concepts, all waiting for you to dive in and explore their depths. At its core, Dormant delves into the awakening of a sleeping or forgotten consciousness, urging it to be present and take action in the now.

It is an album that, from the early stages, felt like a profound conversation with life, about life. It encapsulates the ongoing dialogue and introspection with our inner selves as we seek equilibrium and harmony. Ultimately, it is a realization that what we yearn for is a stillness of the mind and soul — a sense of contentment, pride, and connection with what is our most authentic selves. We believe that you will find resonance with many of the reflections we share within Dormant, and we eagerly anticipate continuing this dialogue with all of you.

This journey has only just begun. Let’s awaken together. Tom & Vikram”

Dormant is available in the following formats:

- 1CD Digisleeve
- 2LP Gatefold Black
- Digital Album

oOrder here.

Dormant tracklisting:

"Construct"
"New Life"
"Churches"
"Just Above The Clouds"
"Reset"
"Tides"
"The Real Me"
"Light Up The Dark"
"Dormant"
"The Last On Earth"
"The Trooper" (Bonus Track)
"Dancing In The Dark" (Bonus Track)
"Numb" (Bonus Track)

“Churches” video:

“Construct” video:

"Numb" visualizer:

Silent Skies are:

Tom S. Englund - Vocals, Production
Vikram Shankar - Piano, Keyboards, Production