Assignment – With the End Comes Silence | Progressive Rock Central.com

Assignment, is a German progressive rock band that will release their latest album With the End Comes Silence, on Massacre Records, on the 27^th of February. This new album will be my first review of 2026, and it gets this new year off to an amazing start!

With The End Comes Silence showcases Assignment’s refined songwriting approach, focusing on tighter structures and elevated production quality, while maintaining the diverse influences that have shaped their sound over the years – from power and thrash to progressive metal and hard rock. The album features standout guest contributions, including Thomas Vikström (backing vocals), Marco Ahrens (lead guitars on “Fallen”, “Beyond Recognition”, “Angel of Berlin”, and “With the End Comes Silence”) and DGM’s mastermind Simone Mularoni (lead guitar on “The Curtains Fall”). The new album With the End Comes Silence stands as their most focused and immersive work to date – a cinematic, emotional, and thought-provoking metal experience that reflects the state of a world in turmoil while celebrating the enduring spirit of the genre.

Assignment are made up of members: Diego Valdez, on lead vocals; Goran Panić, on lead guitars; Heiko Spaarmann, on bass; and Michael Kolar, on drums.

“Fallen,” opens this metal – like soundscape with synthesizers and futuristic sounds, before piano-like keyboards bring forth the melody. The metal hammer drums, bass, and lead electric guitars follow soon after. A powerful Dream Theater like opening only this album has a much powerful male vocalist. Diego Valdez has more of a metal voice, similar to Damian Wilson or Ronnie James Dio, with a heavier metal edge. The music video is a futuristic look at a dystopian red world devoid of humans, run by bots and drones. It is a powerful song for an album opener.

“Nothing to Say,” starts off slower, but then the momentum picks up. Diego Valdez’s voice is perfect for this combative metal progressive rock. Good lyrics and powerful metal-like music. Very early Ayreon. In fact, it reminds me so much of some of Arjen Lucassen’s space conflict/albums. Very metal progressive and a reminder of those earlier days of Arjen’s musical operas.

“Beyond Recognition,” starts off slow again, as spacey keyboards and special effects fill the soundscape. A very cool story within a journey taking us back to the sound of the beginning of the Ayreon’s early works. A great surprise and welcomed trip back to the “Age of Ayreon!”

“Those Words,” starts out without words. It is full of powerful metal guitars, bass, and drums, with some great keyboards mixed in.

“The Tower,” is the center of control for the lifeless beings that control this world. It is the strongest song in this story and on the album. The tower must come down to free all people and make the planet whole again. A great song of challenge and fight. The best song so far.

“Selling My Soul,” slows down the mood of the music with soft keys and quieter lead guitars. Even Diego Valdez’s voice is subdued.

“Call for Heaven,” opens with pounding drums, heavy metal guitars and bass with the most excellent keyboard opening on the album, so far. Diego Valdez’s voice is at perfect pitch and he delivers the lyrics direct to tell this epic story of fighting what is below and reaching for the stars. This is the band’s own “Stairway to Heaven’s Gate.”

“Angel of Berlin,” opens with power packed drums, metal guitars, bass, and an in-your-face soundscape. Diego Valdez’s voice is back to Dio-level threatening. Another great metal rocker.

“With the End Comes Silence,” is the climactic epic title song. And it opens well with hard grinding guitar and soft keyboards. Diego Valdez’s sings the theme and main story for this epic album. This is the longest track on the album at nearly 9 minutes. Diego lays out the mission and hope of the story within this title song, all set to early Dream Theater level musicianship.

“The Curtain Falls,” opens primarily with a cool keyboard sound, balanced well with heavy guitars, drums, and bass. Diego Valdez’s voice is straight ahead rock n roll, as the final moments of this story begin to take shape. The journey ends, filled with emotional lyrics and vocals, surrounded by keyboards, guitars, and drums.

“Endlessly” ( A Bonus Track), opens with solid pounding drums, keyboard, electric guitar and bass. The soundscape is ready for more of Diego Valdez’s Dio vocals. He is supported by female vocals later in the song.

Produced by the band, the record was mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studio, raising the sonic bar and delivering the sound Assignment envisioned.

With The End Comes Silence stands as a very good progression for Assignment on their way to the top of progressive metal. It is a focused and immersive work full of cinematic, emotional, and thought-provoking metal music and lyrics. It is an experience that reflects the state of a world in turmoil while celebrating the enduring spirit of the genre. They have found a good leader in the vocals of Diego Valdez. His Dio like style really adds strength to an already metal powerful soundscape. If you like Ronnie Dio or Dream Theater I think you will enjoy Assignment’s With The End Comes Silence.