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The U.K.'s Code of Silence is something of a super-group with ex-Power Quest guitarist Ben Randall and ex-Revolution Renaissance/ex-Adagio singer Gus Monsanto among their members. Their debut, Dark Skies Over Babylon, is a collection of smooth, melodic Heavy Metal in the style of, but not quite as heavy as, Black Majesty. Randall knows his way around a fret board; his riffs remind me of T.N.T.'s Ronni Le Tekro and his solos are out of the Yngwie Malmsteen school. Monsanto has a great voice and the rest of the band members are no slouches. Most of the songs are slick and glossy with a rather "commercial" sound. Dark Skies Over Babylon's eponymous title track is a ballad that would've had the crowd hoisting their lighters and swaying in unison in no time.

Code of Silence is out of the gate with a solid, if unadventurous, debut in Dark Skies Over Babylon. Fans of Black Majesty, T.N.T. and similar melodic Heavy Metal bands should give this one a listen.