Timegate Anathema is the fourth full-length album from Italy's Eternal Silence, and it is an excellent symphonic metal release. There's nothing new here, something I usually save for the end of my reviews, but I think it is important to note that breaking new ground isn't required to make a great album. What Eternal Silence have done is craft a masterfully balanced record. It has both speedy power metal rockers like "The Way of Time" and "My Soul Sad Until Death" and slower, introspective songs such as "Edge of the Dream" and "Lonely", all performed flawlessly with a pristine production. Singer Marika Vanni has a deep, rich voice, eschewing an operatic approach (which I find refreshing), that is no less powerful (the male vocals are serviceable). On the downside, I find Timegate Anathema a little too keyboard-heavy for my taste though the guitar solos are as creatively acrobatic as you want from an Italian band, known for their neoclassical flourishes. With few knocks against it, Timegate Anathema should find favor with fans of Oratory, After Forever, Amberian Dawn, etc.