Album Review: Silverstein – Misery Made Me
Reviewed by Dan Barnes
Twenty-two years in and you know what you’re going to get from these Canadian veterans of many a Vans Warped Tour; yet album number ten – Misery Made Me - is not without its surprises. The lead singles from this release have been floating around for some time now, giving those impatient fans a teaser of what’s to come.
There’s something of the familiar about Ultraviolet’s straight-forward commerciality and even though it features a hefty breakdown it has all the hallmarks of a constant presence in the set from now on. It’s Over, the second release, sees Silverstein in a more abrasive mood, delivering some massive riffs in a rapid-fire performance; and the latest single, Die Alone, is built around an urgent, driving post hardcore riff which fluctuates into emo territory amid its discordant rhythms.
The clever choice of singles goes a long way to showcase the bulk of Misery Made Me, whether that be less inventive and more standardised sound for Silverstein of Don’t Wait Up or Slow Motion, both of which supplement their sound with a ferocious rumbling bass; or the discordant, edgy, riffing of opening track, Our Song, the closest thing the album gets to a title track and a frenzy of switching tempos, pumping rhythms and crisp guitar chugs.
The band’s hardcore heritage can’t stay quiet for long and, even though it has been simmering for a while, it all kicks off on The Altar, the first of a two-part piece and built on punchy riffs and an aggressive assault. The second part, and companion piece, Mary, sees vocalist Shane Told performing above an almost ambient one-chord sustain.
As the Misery Made Me draws to a close Silverstein still have a couple of surprises up their sleeves in the shape of Bankrupt and Live Like This. Both are constructed around industrial, almost dance, beats and, in the case of Bankrupt, it hits with a huge intensity.
As you would expect from a band this deep into their career, the musicianship is impeccable. Paul Marc Rousseau and Josh Bradford are ready to shred from the outset and bassist Billy Hamilton does not appear to want to be outdone by his six-string counterparts and lays down some heavy grooves. On the kit and Paul Koehler ties it all together with a masterly session.
Shane’s vocals weave between the emo and the screamo as required and he’s joined by a few chums to further enhance the listening experience. The aforementioned Die Alone sees Andrew Neufeld of Comeback Kid lending his pipes to the proceedings, whereas Mike Hranica of The Devil Wear’s Prada can be heard chipping in on Slow Motion. Elsewhere, the lighter in the air, mainly acoustic, emo anthem, Cold Blood features Trevor Daniel and final track Misery sees US rapper, nothing, nowhere, adding to this emo ballad.
Silverstein are scheduled to hit these shores next month for some Slam Dunk shindigery and I’ll be sure to catch them at Temple Newsam and see if a couple of years of inactivity has dulled their edge or has intensified their fire. On the strength of Misery Made Me, I suspect it’ll be the latter.
