The name Ray Garrison is perhaps not a household one in the world of Modern Rock, but that might be changing quickly.
Offering insight about the Southern California-based musician, Garrison began working in record production at only sixteen years old. Mentored by the Grammy Award-nominated Italian Producer Luca Pretolesi, Garrison quickly learned his way around a recording studio and became proficient in mixing and mastering. Developing his skills along the way, he also developed his songwriting, singing, and guitar playing on the way to recognition as someone many enjoyed working with. Garrison even worked with Crazy Town in 2022 for the “Leeches,” leading us to the present day, where he brings to us an original band called Silos.
Previously, having stepped away from being in a band for nearly a decade, Garrison found it challenging to keep a group of players working toward the same goal. So, rather than pack it up and give up, he opted to work as a solo artist and a DJ.
An interesting direction to take when approaching Silos as a listener; it is clear Garrison’s experience as a DJ influenced their mutated sound of modern Hard Rock mixed with EDM. With that in mind, Silos presents itself as the right situation for Garrison to work in the framework of a Rock band again as he teams with Danish Bassist Philip Strange Nielsen, Ukrainian Guitar Nick Dromin, Spanish Guitarist Ramón Blanco Ariza, and Drummer David Rehmann. An excellent mix of players, each of whom comes with an impressive resume, including Blanco and Rehmann, who spent many years as part of Grandson’s touring band.
All of them different corners of the world, coming together as Silos, the chemistry seemed to immediately connect as they rapidly craved out an album’s work of material in three short months. Impressive, the songs began to roll out in 2023 with standouts like “If I Fall,” “Insatiable,” and “Mind Eraser.” Each attracts Silos a good amount of attention; in 2025, the long-awaited debut album arrives via Judge & Jury Records.
Released on February 21, 2025, and entitled APOCALIPS, another compelling wrinkle to this story is that Judge & Jury Records is not just any label but a production team founded by multi-platinum Record Producer Howard Benson and Three Days Grace’s Neil Sanderson. Together they have joined up to work with a list of compelling new artists like Silos and, in the process, become a shining beacon for Modern Hard Rock. In fact, Judge & Jury has been a magnet for others, with many big names collaborating with Silos for this debut, such as Escape the Fate’s Craig Mabbitt, From Ashes to New’s Danny Case, Orgy’s Jay Gordon, and The Haunt.
Adding even more intrigue to Silos, the guest spots stand out on APOCALIPS, but what truly separated this debut album from others is the immensely pristine production and the songwriting (headed by intensely personal lyrics from Garrison). Providing deeper context, Garrison dug into the darkest corners of his soul to exorcise negative emotions that had followed him through the years. Pronounced with songs like “If I Fall,” you can feel the heartbreak as Garrison questions if anyone around him would even notice if he disappeared. The same could be said about “Black Mold,” which finds Garrison seeking to break the cycle of negativity in life, or “Mind Eraser,” where he conveys a feeling of being isolated and shackled within a psychological prison he cannot escape.
Some may say the lyrical content of many of these songs is self-loathing and depressive. However, the mood is more of a cathartic release for anyone seeking forgiveness for past misgivings, a light at the end of a dark tunnel, and yearning to be a better person. Furthermore, the inflections in Garrison’s voice, matched with a mix of modern Heavy Rock and Electronic textures, make the collective of Silos’ APOCALIPS irresistible. Add to it some Pop sensibility, and Silos have an invigorating sound that should appeal to fans of Three Days Grace, My Darkest Days, Staind, or Skillet.
Overall, Silos is a bright spot among newer acts on the modern Hard Rock scene. Each song has heart and soul, including a unique rendition of 1997’s Eagle-Eye Cherry hit “Save Tonight.” All making Silos well worth checking out, Cryptic Rock gives APOCALIPS 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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