In 2005, Canadian post-hardcore band Silverstein successfully reached the mainstream with their hit album Discovering the Waterfront, but in the years since they have struggled to recreate the sound that got them there. Their next two albums, 2007's Arrivals & Departures and 2009's A Shipwreck in the Sand, both received mixed reviews, but overall neither album could captivate their audience like Discovering the Waterfront did. There may be hope for the band in their latest album, however, which brings a mixing of soft and hard-core rock for an altogether strong and entertaining release.
Rescue, which will be released Tuesday, features an excellent blend of mellow ballads and head-banging metal. While A Shipwreck in the Sand relied too much on the hardcore aspect, Rescue lies perfectly in the middle—a superb balance of light and heavy. This new mixture of styles may be just what the band needs to get back in the public eye.
The album opens with ""Burning Hearts,"" which is easily the best choice to start off the album. A song about lost love—akin to the leadoff from Discovering the Waterfront ""Your Sword Versus My Dagger""—""Burning Hearts"" is the most catchy song on the album and will certainly be the first single off of Rescue.
""Forget Your Heart,"" another song about love lost and regret, is smooth enough to appeal to Silverstein's mainstream crowd, but also has enough grit towards the end to appease their more hardcore fans. This song is essentially a microcosm of the album as a whole: A calm start that evolves into an intense finish.
Rescue continues its easygoing opening with ""In Memory of…"" a thought-provoking ballad about a man who is trying to cope with the death of his close friend. The lyrics are dark and ominous, yet hopeful at the same time. Fans of the title track ""Discovering the Waterfront"" will surely enjoy this song on the same level.
At this point in Rescue there is a swift change. Gone are the slow-paced ballads and in come the hard-hitting, fast-paced songs that make Silverstein the hardcore band that they are. ""Live to Kill"" is about the greed of everyday people, its dark sound highlighting the darkness inside of everyone. However, this is just the beginning as Silverstein only descends into a heavier sound to close out the album.
Lead singer Shane Told holds on until the back end of the album to really belt out his best work. ""Sacrifice"" and ""Texas Mickey"" both showcase Told's ability to seamlessly shift from his traditional voice to his distinctive scream-singing. ""Texas Mickey"" also features Anthony Raneri, the lead vocalist of pop-punk band Bayside. The last half of the album is really a showcase for Told, who sounds as good on Rescue as he ever has on any previous release.
The final track, ""The Artist,"" hits as hard as any song that Silverstein has ever made. Unlike many of their songs, which blend together soft and hard rock, ""The Artist"" is pure, nonstop intensity. From start to finish, there is not one second where the band lets up on this song. This is the song head bangers will remember the longest off of this album, and that is really saying something.
Silverstein makes an excellent return to form with Rescue, which is destined to be their most critically and domestically popular album since Discovering the Waterfront. While they do not have the widest fan base, Silverstein's latest is sure to please any fan of the hardcore genre.
