January 24, 2019 Silent Season – The War Within (Volume I) (EP Review)
If you ask the seasoned Hard Rock fan, they will probably tell you in recent times there has been a downward trajectory in interesting new music spawned by the genre. A strange time for music in general, where it is hard to pinpoint exactly which way trends are going, fortunately there are some bright spots here and there. Speaking of which, one of those beacons for the Hard Rock genre come in the form of New England based band Silent Season.
Initially come together a little over a decade ago, Silent Season has held their own, releasing quality music that defies the winds of change. Dropping their debut album Breaking Me Down in the summer of 2012, they made all the right moves, bringing in a seasoned yet underrated producer such as Brett Hestla (Dark New Day & Creed) along with Brad Young (platinum LFO albums), and Alex Hatziyannis. Additionally, they brought in Grammy-nominated Producer Jonathan Wyner (Nirvana, David Bowie) to master the record.
Intelligent and strategic, they continue to keep up with the times without surrendering to them in 2017 releasing their single “Stars” prior to a few more cuts over the next year. The proper decision in a single driven market, with some interest strung up with their newer music, they are set to drop a collective 6 track EP on Friday, January 25, 2019 entitled The War Within (Volume I).
A collection of songs which will be released digitally on various platforms including iTunes, Amazon Music, and Google Play, it is not a far reach to call The War Within (Volume I) one of the band’s most tight display of songwriting to date. Led by Jeremy Rae on lead vocals, David Pappalardo on drums, along with Guitarists Brendan Sheehan and Anthony Puliafico, together, they put together a group of songs that are aggressive, melodic, and emotionally heavy at the same time.
Back to the original argument presented, Hard Rock has been extremely lackluster of late. It seems as if the genre has hit a big brick wall in recent years. Thankfully, Silent Season stick to a style that is enough rooted in the glory days when others like Sevendust, and sometime later, Red were just starting out. Their sound is clear, clean, easy to follow, and engaging to the ears of Hard Rock lovers. This is clear with songs such as “Negative,” the aforementioned “Stars,” and “Us All.” Additionally, lyrically they are not shoving a political agenda down your throat which is exhausting in such uneasy times. Instead, they opt to keep the songs personal and introspective, as heard on “The Void.” Yet still, they keep the content universal enough that you can relate the words to a variety of situations, from your own to the broader crazy, unstable world. Doing that, they also keep the message on the positive end of the spectrum.
The positivity bleeds through on tracks such as “Despair,” which drives home the message that only you can make your future what you want it and that requires not wallowing in the past. Then, showing their heaviest face yet, “Demons” tears through furiously with thick guitars and synth. Yes, that is right, Silent Season uses electronics, but not to worry, they are not anywhere near the bloody generic sounds many others are turning to in modern recordings. Instead, their electronic leaning textures present throughout the EP are complementary to the compositions, adding atmosphere and intensity.
The bottom-line is Silent Season is a breath of fresh air. No, they are not breaking any new ground, but they are a tight band that write strong songs that are relatable and energetic. Hopefully these guys will be picked up for some big national tours in 2019 along side other genre hopefuls like Nothing More to help bring Hard Rock out of the swamps. That is why Cryptic Rock gives The War Within (Volume I) 4 out of 5 stars.
Purchase The War Within (Volume I):
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