For All We Know-For All We Know

Independent Release/Self-Release
2011


As I was on my way out of the house yesterday (to do some much needed grocery shopping) I grabbed a handful of promos figuring I'd listen to one in the car. Along for the ride would be my 12 year old daughter so I tried to pick something that wouldn't get "the look". "Is this rock?" she said? Usually I can get away with rock with my daughter in the car. Metal not so much. I took a chance with For All We Know and the verdict from both of us was positive. Nothing beats being on the same page with a kid who much rather listen to Top-40 radio. So, with that by way of an introduction For All We Know is a project by Within Temptation guitarist Ruud Jolie. This self-titled affair features 12 original songs. The culmination of four years of hard work Ruud Jolie recruited some well known and respected musicians in his attempt to tie everything together in one neat little package. Joining him are Wudstik (Ayreon) on vocals, Kristoffer Gildenlöw (Dial, Pain of Salvation) on bass, Leo Margarit (Pain of Salvation) on drums, Thijs Schrijnemakers (Stereo) on the Hammond organ, and Marco Kuypers (Cloudmachine) on Piano, Rhodes, Harmonium. Guest include Daniel Gildenlöw (Pain of Salvation), Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation), Damian Wilson (Threshold, Ayreon), Ruud Houweling (Cloudmachine), Anke Derks, and Tom Sikkers (Daybroke) for the vocals on Keep Breathing. John Wesley lead guitar on I Lost Myself Today, Richie Faulkner (Lauren Harris) lead on Busy Being Somebody Else, and Camilla van der Kooij on violin. With that being the case let me start of saying that this release does sound good. No disputing that one. The music is top notch progressive rock that teeters on metal.If one didn't know ahead of time who was at the helm their is no way you could tell that this was a project born of Within Temptation. The music on display here is mellow and quite somber.Given that you have members of Porcupine Tree and Pain of Salvation helping out those would be good starting points. I'd also point to Rush and more importantly Pink Floyd as inspirations. Point is that For All We Know is powerhouse progressive rock/metal that while melancholy in nature still delivers.