Band members:
Geoff Downes: keys, percussion, computer programming
John Payne: vocals, bass, guitar
Guthrie Govan: guitars
Chris Slade: drums

Additional musician:
Kim Nielsen Parsons: bass (6)

Special thanks for all their help on the preproduction of this album:
Ant Glynne: guitars
Billy Sherwood: guitars, bass
Jay Schellen: drums
 

Produced, engineered and mixed by John Payne
Recorded at Clear Lake Audio, North Hollywood, CA
Additional engineering: Preston Boebel
Mastered by Eddy Schreyer
Assembled by Riley Urick

Management: Adam Parsons, Ace Trump

Artowrk & layout: Thomas Ewerhard
Photos: Robert John, Gene Kirkland
Live photos: Ace Trump
Digital art: Billy White
Asia logo designed by Roger Dean
 

Tracks:
1. What About Love [Payne/Downes] (5:25)
2. Long Way from Home [Payne/Downes] (5:58)
3. Midnight [Payne/Downes] (6:23)
4. Blue Moon Monday [Payne/Downes] (7:16)
5. Silent Nation [Payne/Downes] (6:03)
6. Ghost in the Mirror [Payne/Downes/Sherwood] (4:35)
7. Gone Too Far [Payne/Downes] (6:47)
8. I Will be There for You [Payne/Downes/Sherwood] (4:09)
9. Darkness Day [Payne/Downes] (6:17)
10. The Prophet [Payne/Downes] (5:15)
 

Notes: The special edition comes with a bonus DVD (Region 0), "The Making of 'Silent Nation'". The Japanese release (JVC, VICP-62852) has a bonus track, "Rise".

Payne was the main lyricist for Silent Nation, which is loosely based around the idea of the centralisation of power in the modern world, disenfranchising the general public. At the time of writing, the band had said they planned to record a couple of promo videos, while Payne in a Sep 2004 interview said they would probably film one for "What About Love" that month. In an Apr 2004 interview, Payne talked about the album. "The direction," says Payne, "is in some way related to the first album, where the songs where more stadium rock structured." He went on to describe the album as a move away from the style of Aura and a return to the "Asia/Journey/Foreigner" foretype. Silent Nation reminds me in places of Astra: it has a mainstream style that distinguishes it from Asia's forays in a more progressive direction. There are some clever lyrics for "What About Love", but most are more obvious fare.

Downes and Payne have talked of writing over 50 songs in the run-up to Silent Nation. Early writing sessions for the album were with Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen. Schellen explained on his web forum in May 2004: "Billy and I had a great time working with [Downes] and John [Payne] for a month or so writing and recording tracks for their next record. [...] Somewhere in the Holiday season plans took a turn, Conspiracy got busy [...] and [Geoff] and John chose another way to go." In an interview circa May, Payne said they wrote about five songs with Sherwood. Subsequently, there were also some sessions prior to the final recordings with former Rick Wakeman and Mike Oldfield guitarist Ant Glynne. Asia presented Silent Nation very much as a group album, so it is unclear whether these prior sessions were ever to have been used in the final mix. This line-up, with Govan and Slade, was the touring band for Aura and have remained together through to making this album, although Downes and Payne have also toured as an acoustic duo. Dates in support of Silent Nation are planned.

"The Prophet" was originally announced as "Sail Away", while "Darkness Day" was originally announced as "The Sun Don't Shine". Early track lists for the album included "Long and Lonely Ride", but this was not finished in sessions for the album. (HP, 19 Sep 04)