In The Silence. A Fair Dream Gone Mad

I heard about this band due to a Facebook Post, as they were coming to my home state of Arizona. I was unfamiliar with the band and decided to give them a chance. I was instantly struck with the idea that these guys would be a very pretentious, over drawn band. Their biography had them label themselves as influenced by
Porcupine Tree, Opeth, and Katatonia while being more progressive than any of those bands. I figured, quite simply, that these California based musicians were full of themselves. However, I was intrigued and decided to give them a listen. All I could say after the first track, Ever Closer was "Damn!". Maybe not as "progressive" as the band would like or think, but they still impressed the hell out of me.

In The Silence was formed in 2007 in Sacramento and this is their first release. Initially self released (and self financed) in 2012, the band brought about the attention of Sensory Records, who signed them in late 2012. The album was re-released by Sensory in 2013. For a band with only one full length under their belts, they sound as mature and tight as any band who may have half a dozen records in stores. I can certainly see the comparisons to the aforementioned bands, however, they have a very Novembre sound to me, which is not at all bad, but not great either. I can't listen to this record without thinking of Materia and even The Blue. Considering how influential, and again, mature, Novembre is, I consider that a and compliment, but a bit of a detriment as well.

Now that we have had a slight introduction, lets get into what's really important, the MUSIC! We start the album with Ever Closer wasting no time bringing the progressive influence. A nice melodic intro for about 30 seconds, and really nice clean vocals lead into a monster riff. The vocals (clean throughout the entire album) soar before leading back into a melodic passage with soft, lullaby vocals. not Quite 2 minutes in, and I'm hooked. One thing that stands out right away is how damn good this album sounds. Not only does the band have a good sense of song writing (going back to the mature idea) but the actual production is clear. I can make out each instrument clearly, and each get a chance to shine within the mix. Slightly after the 3 minute mark we get an interlude with some good lead guitar work and some double bass drumming. I love that the guitars, while played very well, don't feel the need a lot of prog bands do to show off. They work well within the context of the song and really draw in the listener to a great passage. The first song on this album does exactly what any good album/song should do. It grabs the listener, and makes you want to continue listening. You know when you hear this, that it is just the beginning of a journey and you will want to follow through the rest of the way.

The Second track, 17 Shades continues the journey with an immediate catchy guitar line and addicting, but simple drum pattern with nearly angelic vocals. The
Novembre and Katatonia sound is really coming through at this point, as if the Album title and cover didn't already make that influence apparent. There is something about this band that still stands out and makes me want to continue listening. The structure is similar to the prior song, melodic verse with a slightly heavy chorus, but always favoring melody within the heaviness. This song also features the first "show off" guitar solo on the album. Not as flashy as a
Dream Theater solos, as again, everything works within the song, but it is nice to hear the musicians break out a little. One thing is certainly apparent at this point (only in the second track) there won't be any real surprises. Not entirely a bad thing, but you pretty much know what to expect by the rest of the album at this point.

Breaking away from individual songs for a bit here, let me focus on the overall sound. Again, the production is extremely clear on this record. I do not know how much work was done after they signed to Sensory Records, but for what it is, it is fantastic. The guitars can be melodic, but also very crunchy and heavy when needed. The drums are usually fairly subdued, but do kick quite nice and each double bass, tom, or high hat hit can be clearly heard. The bass may not be the most stand out, but you can still make it out, and it does add a great layer and fullness to these songs as well. It tends to be simple and straight forward as far as playing, but these songs would feel so damn flat if there wasn't that backing. Everything just gels so well, and sounds great. The mix is some of the best I've heard from a "new" band. Again, the vocals never stray into the harsher sounds, which is fine with me. So many times I feel like the vocals sound like someone I've heard before, but I can never place my finger on it. To me, this is a good thing. There is a slight comfort or familiarity that makes it inviting, while still being new and different. There is range, from some deeper vocals (He's no Peter Steele though) to a mid (which is used most of the album) and some higher vocals. Everything sounds strong and there is a confidence in the vocals that are just wonderful to hear.

Not everything on the album is great through. There are certainly a few flaws here. As I mentioned earlier, after the second track, there really are no surprises. It would be nice to hear a little more progression out of the band that claims to have such a vast array of influences. While the music is very well done, the songs are long, averaging almost 6 minutes. While I do not mind long songs, especially for a prog band, with the lack of variety from track to track there are times when things do seem to drag on, and some songs could probably be much more potent with about 45 seconds or so shaved off. Also, as I touched on this earlier, I cannot help but bring up Novembre when listening to this record. To me, that's good and band. When it comes to progressive metal, (in my circle of friends anyway) it seems Novembre tends to be forgotten about. Their most recent album The Blue is still a top album of mine, so I enjoy getting to hear new music that has a similar vibe to it minus harsh vocals. However, it also shows that In The Silence doesn't exactly have their own identity. I would not call them a clone by any means, but they are similar enough that it works for and against them at the same time.

Further, by the time we wind down on the album (there are 8 tracks total) the album has felt as though it has dragged, and the biggest accomplishments remain at the beginning of the album. Some fans like albums to have a certain flow throughout. It could be as simple as a consistent sound the entirely way through, or have the best songs in the middle, etc. To me, there is always one thing I expect: it's about the end and the beginning. Draw the listener in to the records with the first track or two, and make it worth their while at the end. this album fails at that. The first couple of tracks are great. They make you want to listen. The rest of the album is consistent, but I feel the final track could be stronger. It does come out better than the track before it, but I almost feel as if another track, perhaps 17 Shades could have been last to leave a better impression at the end.

So there we have it, the debut album from In The Silence. The album sounded a lot better to me upon first listen so I am glad I gave it more time, and did not rush a review for it, as it is not without flaws. It is a great first effort, and as mature as the band sounds now, I honestly await a new album. I would expect after a few tours, and more time to construct their sound, they could put out an album of the year. They have the tools, but just need to define their voice. I still maintain that Ever Closer is a monster track and easily my favorite on the album. I'm sure I will be listening to the album more over time, and maybe it will grow on me more, but for now, I cannot help but feel this is a great first effort, and shows a young band with a lot of potential, but does have some issues with flow and voice that bring the experience down a bit. I will go with a strong 75/100 for this album. I wanted to go to the 80/100 but I feel the middle and last part of the album drag it down a little. However, I will say again, by the next album or two, this band should be a force in Progressive Metal if they can try and develop their own voice.

Feel free to check out the band and give the album some time, as I feel it's worth a listen or two here