Silverstein - A Shipwreck In the Sand
Record Label: Victory Records
Release Date: March 31, 2009
When Discovering the Waterfront came out in 2005, I was amazed. Not because of the music, but because at the time, I hadn't been exposed to the hardcore/screamo genre. As the years went on, and my musical taste broadened, I realized how good of a find Silverstein was. They didn't follow stupid emo cliches such as lyrics about every bad relationship lead vocalist Shane Told has ever had, or having complex sentences for song names. And the ominous feel of Discovering the Waterfront was probably what got me into the band most.
They followed the 2005 album with Arrivals and Departures, a fairly frustrating album, but it proved that Silverstein was trying new things, including the first ballad they've ever written. And now, their fourth full length album, A Shipwreck In the Sand builds on their progression even further.
Silverstein has managed yet again to experiment with new ideas without changing their trademark sound. They've become a heavier band altogether, and they are now featuring other artists in their songs for the first time. Sometime after the release of Arrivals and Departures, I noticed that Told was listed as a client of extreme vocalist coach Melissa Cross. It shows. His screams have improved drastically (check out the verses of the single "Vices"), as they sound much heavier and give him a lot of versatility. It's also good to hear the band return to writing creative guitar and drum arrangements, a great improvement from the boring power chords of Arrivals and Departures.
This is also a change for the band in the sense that it is their first concept album. Told's lyrics tell the story of a family whose home is burned down. The family moves to a hotel, and slowly begin to realize that their lives have been ruined. Their hatred for each other grows, as the man discovers his wife has desperately committed adultery, and the identity of the arsonist is revealed. All of the music captures the emotion of the lyrics perfectly, from the guilt and regret showed in "American Dream" to the eerie, ominous chorus of "I Am the Arsonist" ("They'll see the fire in the dark night sky/I hope you're home when I arrive").
One of my favorite tracks is "A Great Fire," which opens the album with a haunting guitar riff and Told singing an epic chorus "I can see/through the flames/that the fire cleanses me/mind and soul." It really sets the tone for the rest of the album. The title track is also good, the music mixing perfectly with Told's storytelling. "The End" is the best album closer that Silverstein has ever written, with acoustic guitars surrounding Told's new-and-improved voice, as well as the voice of indie-pop singer Lights, whose voice compliments Told very well.
This album didn't impress me as much as Discovering the Waterfront, but it was a great listen, and I have to say that there is still that something that makes Silverstein unique and different from the modern, garden variety screamo band.
Most of their lyrics are emo cliches as well as being laughably bad.
By the way Silverstein isnt screamo . Cirle Takes the Square, pg.99, and Saeti are screamo.
I found this review to be awful in so many ways because much of the time you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. As for the album the only sung that stood out to me was the title track
What the hell? What, you're going around to all my threads now and talking shit?
Most of their lyrics are emo cliches as well as being laughably bad.
By the way Silverstein isnt screamo . Cirle Takes the Square, pg.99, and Saeti are screamo.
I found this review to be awful in so many ways because much of the time you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. As for the album the only sung that stood out to me was the title track
You couldn't be more wrong. It's an excellent CD. It is a step forward for them as far as lyrical progression and in every way this CD is incredible. Give the reviewer a break for screamo classification, to 99% of people in the world the best way to describe the genre that Silverstein falls in is "Screamo" simply because there's screaming in it, no need to be a douchebag about it.
Nice review...I went out and bought the album and you got it exactly right flks511
hate this band hate this album... nuff said... listen to good music like Bring me the horizon and The Devil Wears Prada and Attack Attack! please. This is what haphazard sounds like. They barely ever scream and there lyrics are about as simple and full of nonsense as you can get. Even though they make sense, they just seem so simple and illly (is that a word, now it is) written. Same as SKSK overrated
lol "listen to good music like bring me the horizon and attack attack" haha.
My favorite part, though, is when you said "nuff said" and then proceeded to say even more ignorant and stupid shit.
hate this band hate this album... nuff said... listen to good music like Bring me the horizon and The Devil Wears Prada and Attack Attack! please. This is what haphazard sounds like. They barely ever scream and there lyrics are about as simple and full of nonsense as you can get. Even though they make sense, they just seem so simple and illly (is that a word, now it is) written. Same as SKSK overrated
Couldn't disagree more with everything you just said.
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