Project Description
SILVERSTEIN
“A Beautiful Place To Drown”
(Album Review)
Reviewer: Laura Hughes
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Photo: Wyatt Clough
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Now if you haven’t heard of Silverstein by now, then you probably should sit down and listen to this album right away. Silverstein is a Canadian rock band who formed in 2000 and since then they have taken the heavy music scene by storm. They are one of the most admired bands in the scene, who have an undeniable stage presence, and songs that will beautifully rip your heart into pieces. Trust me I know that sounds a bit romanticized but they have an eloquent way with words, and their instrumentation has always been spot on in the story-telling in each of their songs.
Now the band has graced us with another album titled “A Beautiful Place To Drown”, and I don’t know why but the album name alone sends shivers up my spine, which can only mean that there is going to be so much depth to this album, and that is only by going off the title.
The first track on this record is ‘Bad Habits’, which right off the bat kickstarts this album. It is fast-paced and goes so hard. Every aspect of what makes Silverstein who they are is portrayed in this song. It’s heavy, it’s melodic, it has lyrics filled with substance and emotion, and of course an amazing guitar solo. This track also features Intervals, which is a Progressive Metal band also hailing from Canada, so it adds an extra touch to this track and is an excellent collaboration that can give listeners a little taste for Intervals.
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‘Burn It Down’ doesn’t hold back either, it kicks you right in the chest. Every emotion feels so raw and unfiltered. The melody is infectious, and the lyrics provoke this spark of heartache, especially when the vocal feature of Caleb Shomo from Beartooth comes in. Having Caleb Shomo involved in this track gives it this raw emotional energy, I can feel the connection between Caleb and vocalist Shane, and it is really powerful, especially for the message portrayed in this track. It’s undeniable how much the vocal feature impacts this track, it adds more emotion and a deeper connection for the listener, having two voices that can vocalise different emotions and perspectives on the same message.
‘Where You Are’ starts with a static sound before the entire band jumps in. This song sends shivers up and down my spine and it is a song that I can really connect with on a deeper level. The way the story in this song is portrayed is really beautiful, despite how somber the topic is. Shane has a way with words, that are descriptive and story-telling like that just draws you in. It paints a picture not only with words but with the instrumentation as well. The two elements blend in so well and are so in synch with every rise and fall, it makes it impossible not to have a connection with this track.
Following on is ‘Infinite’, which has this electronic atmospheric sound playing at the start, which sets a different vibe when compared to the past songs which had more distortion on guitars and harder drum beats. It hits you differently, giving the same aura but in a different way but not straying too far away from their musical style. The sound contrasts well with the heavier aspects of the song, it may be melodic and lighter sounding, but it has dips when guest vocalist Aaron Gillespie (former member of Underoath) jumps in, bringing back their rockier sound, but with more grit to it.
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‘Shape Shift’ continues on with that atmospheric sound, which is accompanied by a melodic guitar, sparking this tenderness that goes along with the vocals. The lyrics in this track lures you in, it is relatable and shows a torn complex where the protagonist is wavering between his heart and his head. It also goes into detail about the story with the antagonist, delving deep into a story of complex lies and two-faced personalities, a relationship unraveling at the seams. It leaves the protagonist dwelling on pessimistic thoughts, that they never really had a stood a chance at the end of this battle.
‘All On Me’ takes a step back and slows down the pace, and strips back instrumentally. It uses more simple production, which allows the melody and vocals to shine, not being drowned out, capturing the emotions at their rawest. They also have added a saxophone solo in the second verse, which is different and reminds me of Bring Me The Horizon song ‘Oh No’. It has similar qualities production-wise, and holds a resemblance to it, which I personally like, and shows a different side to Silverstein, and how they are exploring new avenues in expressing their art. This track is very different when compared to other tracks on the album, but it doesn’t mean it is bad, in fact, I embrace this song with open arms and find it comforting to listen to, as it gives me this warm fuzzy feeling for some unknown reason.
Next is ‘Madness’ which kicks it up a few notches, bringing back that heavy baseline and distorted guitars. It has a fast pace guitar chugging riff which pushes this song along and contributes to the track title. It dips in and out of clean and unclean vocals, having this contrast on how the message is portrayed. Also, another thing about this song that blew me away was the guest vocals of Princess Nokia. Her addition brings another dimension to this song, especially with the gritty auto-tuned sound of her voice, which makes an almost growling sound. I find it’s interesting to hear, and shows that they are open to collaborate with artists outside of their genre, and it also shows how it brings new sounds and perspectives into their writing.
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‘Say Yes’ begins with a more uplifting guitar intro. It shows this other side of optimism that they explore in their songwriting. It’s refreshing to hear in a sense from the rest of the tracks because it is more upbeat, and doesn’t hold a sadness or anger, it’s just a purely happy love song, that just gets you all giddy. It explores another avenue of emotions that has yet to been seen in this album so far, and besides who doesn’t love a little sappy love song every now and then?
‘Stop’ takes a sharp turn from the previous track, and says bye-bye to that giddiness that you were feeling five seconds ago. It is brutal and heavy, and brings back their known and loved sound. It has catchy vocal hooks and guitar riffs and is just straight-up amazing. You can really pour yourself into this song, allowing yourself to go through the emotions and just get it all out. This track is a big ball of energy and fire, it feels likes a torpedo to the chest, it just hits hard and unforgivingly as well. I love the instrumentation in this track, it holds all the elements that I love in a Silverstein song, as well as in songs in general. And let’s not forget everyone’s favourite part of the song, the goddamn breakdown that just explodes, obliterating everything in sight.
Next is ‘September 14th’ which starts with piano and a voice-over that brings the mood down to a somber tone. However, the song does pick up the piece, but the tone and message remain but it does have this small spark of hope, like a tea-light candle lit in a dark room. However, don’t worry this song does have a hardcore breakdown which is such a contrast compared to the instrument beforehand and afterward. It feels like a weird mix of emotions, like going on a rollercoaster ride for the first time, it has your feelings all over the place and you can’t put your finger on what you are exactly feeling, even after it’s over.
‘Coming Down’ begins sounding like a classic pop-punk song. It has pure angst and doesn’t slow down at all. The guitars in this song really shine through, with the different textures and techniques that they use throughout. It brings attention to just how equally amazing the instrumentalists are, and what a crucial part they play in how a song is portrayed, and what emotions it provokes. The structure of the is classic, but also it allows for everything aspect of this song to flow naturally and gives every element it’s moment to shine through, even though the guitars are pretty much a selling point in this song for me.
The final track for this album is ‘Take What You Give’, which also has a guest vocal feature from none other than Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan. They started the album with a feature, and they are ending it one with as well. This song has a nostalgic vibe to it, I feel like I’ve gone through a time-warp tunnel back to Warped Tour 2013, you know that one year it came to Australia? Yeah, that was a good time, and it brings me to that moment of watching Simple Plan, the sun setting behind them and Sydney’s Harbour surrounding us. It just brings back good memories and is what I believe is a great conclusion to this album.
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“A Beautiful Place To Drown” is an album that has songs that render me speechless, songs that make me swoon, and of course songs that bring out that teenage angst. It has so many underlying meanings and messages in every song, and you can interpret this album in many ways, and that’s what I find so beautiful about it. I can listen to it and find new things to love about it, and new meanings for each song. It has amazing collaborations, which breathes a new life into their writing, and also brings in new artistic avenues and ways of expressing what they feel. At some points it is even genre-bending, not conforming to one style, but allowing their years of being a band and what they experienced to shine in a new light. If we had to get down into the grittiness of it all, I think it’s an album that has a lot of substance to it and doesn’t stray away from the harsh realities of life. This album is a safe space for everyone and anyone.
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