Supersonic hardcore project Silverstein began as a supplementary animation to life’s demands for Shane Told (headliner), Josh Bradford (co-guitar), Paul Koehler (drums), Richard McWalter (co-guitar), and Bill Hamilton (bass), but soon metamorphosed into a full time job for the band, albeit an enjoyable and productive one: “Arrivals and Departures” comprises their latest delivery of melodic work to seething melodic hardcore crowds and consumers.
The story of Silverstein can be described as quickly and beautifully as their music: After the Ontario music scene tenaciously grabbed onto the artists’ hooks and hymns in the early 21st century, the ensemble put two and two together and ferociously met the demand. The guys signed with Victory and the rest is history—mainly one of continued success. Silverstein’s first anthology, “When Broken Is Easily Fixed,” inspired fans to burn the album’s cover art indelibly into their bodies: incarnations testifying to the record’s lasting musical influence. Call it inspired success.
Nothing changed when Victory rubber-stamped Silverstein’s next full-length record, entitled “Discovering the Waterfront,” other than that now the band had a substantial and growing fan base as well a hit single entitled Smile in Your Sleep. Sometimes the second time is a charm.
Fast-forwarding to the current state of affairs, with a much more amped approach, Silverstein’s “Arrivals and Departures” [2007] proves to be even better then anything heard to date. The first single, Sound of the Sun, is sure to be stuck in your head from the first listen, as well as numerous other tracks on the album. That’s all assuming that you like melodic guitar riffs coupled with steady bass and precise drumming. In other words, assuming you like melodic hardcore or music in general. Not much can be said about “Arrivals and Departures,” except that it is another step in the right direction for Silverstein, and is sure not to disappoint tattooed loyalists—as well as attract newcomers. Blame Canada.
