<p>Stoa return with Silma after seven years with international line-up. The new album of the music philosophers surprises in more than one way. Surprising is the release of Silmand itself if you consider that there was no news around Stoa for the past 7 years! Fans will be happy that the STOA mastermind stays true to himself with his fourth album. Besides the usual melancholy, unusual pop rhythms found their way on the various albums, but the typical Stoa sound is still distinct. The vocal lines harbour some surprises as well. For once there’s the angelic voice of singer Mandy Bernhardts, known from the live performances of the band; on the other hand, the voices of three guest singers sound on Silmand. The first voice belongs to the Australian multi-instrumentalist Louisa John Krol. The Dutchman Peter Nooten (Ex-Clan of Xymox) could be engaged for Silmand as well as the Leipzig-based Ralf Jehnert (Love is Colder than Death). With Silmand Stoa created an album for the calmer moments in life, for cuddling, to get lost in thoughts, to philosophize. The sound of Stoa deludes to seek the inner sadness and to fly away with it on angel wings. The dark side of the human soul is unveiled, without falling into clichés. The melancholy gets touched and the soul gets musically caressed. A foretaste on the new Stoa album is provided with the songs Hanuz Nist and Broken Glass on the bands official MySpace profile www.myspace.com/stoa. One of the songs on Silmand was already used as film score. Silmand means soul month. With it the month September is titled in an almost forgotten German dialect. Olaf Parusel says 'Besides the strength and spirit of the summer, the September harbours a shimmer of the autumn’s melancholy. A glimpse of winters implacability all life will retreat to.' Of course, the album is suitable for all months of the year. How about a glass of red wine while listening to it? 1. Sakrileg 2. Broken Glass 3. La Lune Blanche 4. Daar 5. Iter Devium 6. My Last Way 7. Palldium (Night) 8. Ways 9. Modesty 10. Hanuz Nist 11. A Drinking Song 12. So Many CLouds 13. Tacitum</p>
