Some say years as a touring band
are somehow sped up, with such a flood of experiences
happening so fast that just a few years on the road
can seem like a decade. It can be overwhelming or exhilarating,
or both depending on one's perspective, but ultimately
it leads to a life-changing maturity. Perspective plays
a key role in Silverstein's new album, "Discovering
The Waterfront"; it is a central theme in songs that
explore self-determination and coping with change. Addiction
to negative relationships is another recurrent theme,
from the opening track; "Your Sword Versus My Dagger"
to "My Heroine", lyricist/vocalist Shane Told is beyond
candid as he tells stories of obsession, hopelessness
and ultimately redemption. The music is flawlessly executed,
with powerful instrumentation and the melodic/raw vocal
juxtaposition that Told delivers seamlessly.
Silverstein formed in Burlington,
Ontario, on the outskirts of Toronto in 2000. Emerging
from the thriving hardcore scene in their hometown,
the band began honing their sound, and recording whenever
possible. Two EPs followed and a former member of Grade
began talking the band up to his friends at Victory
Records. The band signed with Victory shortly afterward.
They released "When Broken Is Easily Fixed" which went
on to sell over 200,000 copies worldwide, earning the
band a spot in Alternative Press' 100 Bands You Need
To Know in the spring of 2005. Non-stop touring followed
and Silverstein became one of the most talked about
bands on the hardcore/emo scene. Many fans responded
with tattoos of their distinctive robot artwork - a
permanent display of their devotion.
Despite an almost constant touring
schedule with bands like Hawthorne Heights and Fall
Out Boy, Silverstein continued to write, drawing from
their own experiences as well as the world around them.
At first glance, "Already Dead" might seem to express
extraordinarily brutal thoughts of a stalker, perhaps
from a too-personal angle. In fact, the award winning
novel, "The Lovely Bones", as opposed to an actual relationship,
inspired the song. Years on the road are examined as
well, with bitter revelations of growing apart from
longtime friends as well as the changing perceptions
that are an inevitable bi-product of time and distance
from the familiar. What sets these songs apart is their
passionate, muscular delivery: complex meter changes
and metallic dual guitars complement each other, showcasing
the band's skin-tight musicianship.
When time was found in their
packed schedule to record, the band found a soul mate
in producer Cameron Webb, who has recorded bands like
Motorhead, Social Distortion, and Ben Folds Five. "The
session was done in California so we lived for a long
time away from family and friends. I was completely
alone when I did most of the vocal tracks and I think
the focus I was able to achieve was really important.
You can hear it on the record, remembers Told. ÒWe were
intimidated by the legends Cameron worked with previously,
but he was so friendly and easy going that he really
got the best performances out of us." The album was
recorded in part at one of the most recognized studios
in the country, Capitol Studios in Hollywood. "Capitol
blew us away. Next to us, Bon Jovi was recording strings.
The number of huge bands that have walked through those
doors is ridiculous," said drummer Paul Koehler. Shane
adds, "Waking up and driving there every day made us
feel like real musicians, like a real band. When we
got in there we had more drive because of the setting.
I think that shines through, especially in the drumming."
During the recording, the band
was working hard on the packaging, with artist Martin
Wittfooth creating the gorgeous paintings that would
bring the album's concept into sharp focus. "We wanted
the art to tell the story of someone struggling to decide
which direction to take his life in, staying in a place
that is known, depicted as the dark city in the background,
or he can go into the water, where his fate is unknown.
The water in the painting seems to go into oblivion,
its metaphoric for fear of change. The protagonist in
the paintings finds a message in a bottle, and it allows
him to take the chance to end up in a better place,"
explains Told.
With the heavy lifting of recording
and packaging wrapped up, a video for the first single,
"Smile In Your Sleep" was the next step. Settling on
a concept paying homage to the board game Clue, they
began filming with Marc Ricciardelli in the mansion
that served as the set for the hit movie Billy Madison.
"The song, ÔSmile In Your SleepÕ is a dark song about
jealousy, deception and ultimately murder" explains
Shane. "Our director came up with the Clue concept and
it gave us a chance to have a little fun with the video.
Each of us wears the colors of the characters, there
are all the weapons, and of course, there is a butler.
I think it's going to look great, we can't wait for
fans to see it."
Silverstein will spend summer
2005 playing Warped Tour before embarking on a promotional
tour of the United States, which leads into overseas
shows and a direct support slot on the North American
Hawthorne Heights tour. It's easy to see that their
work ethic hasn't wavered and life on the road will
continue as they bring their thought provoking new songs
to music fans everywhere. On "Discovering The Waterfront",
Silverstein uses their infectious, melodic songs with
a metallic edge to explore the struggle inherent in
choosing a path and making the hard decisions life presents
to us all.
Band description courtesy of
Luckymanonline.com
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