Sil Veth
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Sil Veth

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"A powerful first release"

“The Elemental� is a diamond in the rough of underground black/death. It is a surprisingly competent recording that really grows with every listen. The lyrical themes on the demo could be summed up as ‘the power of the elements’, which is a breath of fresh air for both black metal and death metal, without being too artsy which often is the case for progressive acts. The vocals themselves are reminiscent of old school melodic death metal, and are quite masterfully executed. This blends well with the music itself, which sounds like old school melodic death metal with black metal influences. When I say black metal, I mean just that, not melodic black metal or symphonic black metal, pure black metal. The melodies in “The Elemental� are melodic death metal, while double bass and riffing are more reminiscent of pure black metal.

The influences on Sil Veth in making “The Elemental� are diverse, and happen to be wholly synergistic. There are clear traces of early At the Gates, and “The Gallery�-era Dark Tranquillity as well as black metal acts such as Mörk Gryning and Dissection. The result is a competent release, which shows great promise for albums to come.

Listen to “The Elemental� by Sil Veth, I think you will be pleasantly surprised! - Metal-archives.com


"Very Competent"

The prospect of yet another progressive black/death metal band is probably not one that excites many of you anymore. Believe me, I'm certainly not numbered among those that are clamoring for another Arcturus or whatever. Sil Veth is admittedly pretty good, though. The band is able to craft melodies that stick with you and don't get bogged down in excess experimentalism and proggy elements. It's music that's actually worthwhile to listen to just for itself versus 'what it all means'.

The general structure is what you'd expect: fairly aggressive riffing over double bass patterns with melodeath style vocals, and more melodic passages contrasting with the requisite clean guitar sections. The performances of all the band members are perfect, and the technical, varied drumming of Ruston Grosse is particularly notable for its grasp of dynamics and meshing with the riffs. And those riffs are pretty uniformly good; they never slip into cloying Gothenburg territory, as much as they seem tempted to at times, and they are generally memorable and interact with each other in an interesting way.

In all honesty, the progressive elements are pretty subdued on 'The Elemental' apart from the more obvious things: the clean passages, the above-average technicality, etc. Overall, it's rather straightforward melodic black/death for fans of the style. The band takes cues from many varied artists, but doesn't quite sound like any of them, and so do well in establishing their own unique sound. The five tracks on this EP are all quite professional and well done, and speak towards a band that has a promising future ahead of them.

'The Elemental' is a very solid piece of metal that deserves a place on most metalheads' shelves. Fans of modern melodic black/death will most certainly want to pick it up, while others would also be recommended to give it a look. Sil Veth makes worthwhile and enjoyable music, and I'm interested in seeing what they come up with in the future. - Metal-archives.com


"Sil Veth - The Elemental"

Philly’s Sil Veth, a black/death group, display promise on their debut EP The Elemental, which contains five tracks that clock in at about 24.5 minutes total. While some would claim (and have claimed) that this is a jumble – it ain’t the most fluid, seamless record I’ve heard – The Elemental is impressive for what it is. And in truth, they aren’t the easiest band to classify, but are enjoyable nonetheless.

‘Stone Gazer’ darts from the gate tentatively, but eventually slips into more determined instrumentation that is peppered with roomy growls, melodic riffs, and confident drumming. The blasting at 1:29 and 3:52 is topnotch, though it’s juxtaposed with mid-paced, clean parts that prove effective, too. The growls are stronger than their undistorted counterparts, however, so Sil Veth may want to stick to the former, or at least work on the latter, in addition to the rough transitions. ‘Spheres’ is fairly similar to its companion, except for the adroit leads from 5:10 to 5:44, which elevate the song above its peers as a result of its memorable nature. Follower ‘Storm’ is also a worthwhile composition – the duel vocal delivery, consisting of raspy and guttural growls, is notable because it’s so underutilized. Not to be left out are fellow solid entries ‘Water’ and ‘Upon the Sand.’

Even if Sil Veth can’t be pigeonholed in the traditional sense – at least not comfortably – the fact of the matter is that these tracks speak of their creators’ talent, and hint at possible stylistic changes in the future. For now, The Elemental is good stuff, and since there are less than 100 copies left, you may want to secure yours soon. So how’s that full-length coming along? - ultimate-metal.com


"Sil Veth - The Elemental"

“Storm” shows that Silveth is an act that has no desire to finesse their fans. The metal that the band puts forth is full of shredding guitars, splashing drums, and growled-out vocals that never bend or break. The band can scale back their intensity but never budges on the intricacy present in their music. “Storm” shows that the band can keep listeners’ interests for well over five minutes, and Silveth does it by throwing in differing approaches and metal influences.

Rather than just allowing the guitars and vocals to be a focal point of their music, Silveth ensures that each and every band member has their time in the sun during “The Elemental”. “Stone Gazer” is a step up for the band as the song shows that the band can change up the time signature and overall arrangements of their music and still create a cohesive sound with their music. The band operates with the same set of influences during “Stone Gazer” that they did during “Storm”, but there is more melodic thread that weaves its way through the track. The fury put forth by the drums acts as a perfect counterpoint to this new-found harmony, and pushes Silveth into an even more impressive style. Even when the band scales things back to that point where a guitar and vocals are the only major points of the track, with the drums kicking in at certain point, one can still hear all the fury and energy that marked Silveth’s music previously on this disc.

I am not sure why Silveth is not on Candlelight or Southern Lord at this point; the gut-churning, skull-splitting metal that Silveth bombards individuals with during “The Elemental” has to be some of the most honest and intense that I have heard during this year. The five tracks on “The Elemental” may together only take up twenty-five minutes but the impact that Silveth will have on listeners is immeasurably. The band could easily add four or five more songs to “The Elemental” and not run into any problems. If you are a fan of metal, be it the death metal that Silveth does, the gloom metal that they touch upon, or any other style of the heaviest of art forms, a purchase of “The Elemental” is necessary. Check out Silveth before they are on tour with Hydra Head bands and playing Norwegian musical festivals.

Top Track: Spheres

Rating: 7.2/10

http://neufutur.com/?p=921 - Neufutur Magazine


"A Good Start"

Sil Veth is quite an incredible band for being an underground metal band, as their music could make them Headbanger’s Ball superstars. They have a unique combination of black and death metal, and the musicians are all skilled at their instruments. Their short EP reminds me of Mortal Treason’s A Sunrise over a Sea of Blood, only the vocals are more out in front on this EP. Also, they have more brutal death metal elements. That’s not the only comparison to Mortal Treason, as vocalist Alex Merekis reminiscent of Seth Kimbrough.

Opening track “Stonegazer” sums up what this band is capable of, with tempo changes, blast beats, screamed and growled vocals, and great guitar work. The second track, “Spheres”, opens with a Painkiller-esque intro, and then continues in the same style “Stonegazer” does. “Storm” has a very traditional metal feel to it with it’s slower tempo. The musicians continue to impress through the instrumental “Upon the Sand”, although this track has a muddier production to it, it works very well and really shows off the band’s chops. Closer “Water” starts with a traditional metal intro, but then breaks into a melodic death blast that reminds me of At the Gates.

This band has the potential to be huge, one can only hope they get their chance to break big, because, judging by this EP, they deserve it. They are more instrumentally talented than a lot of the bigger metal bands, and have a semi-unique sound. They just need to develop themselves a little more, and that is only flaw present in this EP, as they seemingly have the potential to write the next death metal classic. The best comparison I can draw them with is At the Gates.

Written by AntiJoe88 on October 2nd, 2007

http://www.metal-archives.com/review.php?id=165241#97859 - Metal-Archives.com


"Sil Veth - The Elemental"

These guys are coming from Philadelphia, which is fairly close to me. I'm surprised I never heard of these guys, I at least have heard of a lot of the bands in the area. They are a black death metal band and they are one of the opening bands for Dark Funeral in PA next month (October). They will do well in front of Dark Funeral's crowd. Vocals are pretty good, they don't have the high pitch screaming, actually reminds me of old Cradle of Filth, first album. Before they got all commercial and when they were playing good black metal. Drums are fast, guitars are flying, punching and taking no prisoners. The tracks I'm listening to are from their 2007 release. I'm a little surprised they haven't been signed yet. Black metal fans will be into this big time. - Jen's Metal Page


Discography

The Elemental: E (Demo) 2007

Soundclick.com: Stone Gazer has been in the top 10 of Death/Black metal charts for the past 6 months

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Bio

The current lineup of Sil Veth just started gigging this past May in their stomping grounds around Philly, but they've made a quick impact on the region's no longer underground black/death metal scene.

Their first jam at Cherrywood Bar & Grill in Clementon, NJ brought the house down, and since then they've played at Mill Creek Tavern in Philly and are on lineups with top metal bands (Enslaved, Dark Funeral, Naglfar, Arsis, Daath, Finntroll) at the Crocodile Rock Caf� in Allentown. Next up: locking in the 2008 European open-air festivals like Tuska Metal Fest (Finland), The Hole In The Sky (Finland). And don't forget Ozzfest and Wacken Open Air (Germany). Touring the world on a pirate ship is definitely on the horizon for this band, and that's exactly what they plan to do as soon as they have the funds to take on this epic, admirable and quite risky world domination plan. There are rumors of a possible DVD or even a TV show illustrating their voyage around the world.

As powerful, liberating and cathartic as their raucous blistering guitar driven energy and medieval themes have been to their audiences, they've been an even greater release for the group's five principals. With the release of their totally DIY five-track debut EP Elemental�recorded at frontman Alex Merek's basic home studio this past summer--the band is offering a few tastes of the raging intensity to come.

Merek was playing this kind of music in his native Ukraine from the age of 13 until he moved with his family to North Jersey in his mid-teens. He launched the idea of Sil Veth back in 1999, but was just doing the band as a hobby while climbing the corporate ladder in New York City for a few years. Feeling financially satisfied but emotionally and spiritually unfulfilled, the singer/guitarist bailed on the financial world, refocused his priorities and moved in with his longtime bandmates Ruston Grosse (drums) and Pat Shea (guitar).

All 5 of them (including the 2 new additions mentioned below) got Sil Veth insignia tattoos to signify their commitment ("Sil Veth Till Death") to each other, and began working with Philly death metal legends Thorous (bass) and Mike Trush (keyboards), longtime members of the Philly band Deteriorate. "They've played everywhere for the last ten years," Merek says, "and they bring a real backbone to our group, transforming us quickly into something bigger than we had imagined and kicking things up a notch. We love the tracks on Elemental, but in the few months since we recorded those, we're already playing at a whole different level musically."

Grosse, who has worked for Ibanez Guitars, grew up listening to everything from Zappa to Mahavishnu and Indian classical music; he also plays in avant-garde, experimental bands. Shea attended the Professional Peforming Arts School (PPAS, Manhattan) and studied jazz with Kelvin Bell, but like his bandmates, connected a hell of a lot more to metal than anything else. "You put every ounce of energy you have into playing it," says Shea. "You have to be able to connect and have the stamina to play what I consider fast, good metal. It always presents a challenge." Grosse adds, "I discovered metal on my own and felt an immediate attraction to it. It makes you feel free when you play it." Merek says, "I love the melancholy underlying energy and mood it conveys. Writing and playing death/black metal recharges me and is total therapy for me. Over the years, trying to find my path as a musician, I tried other kinds of music, from rock to folk and techno. None had the same cathartic release for me."

The tracks on Elemental grew from riffs that Merek, Grosse and Shea were improvising and jamming out, with Merek's lyrics about epic battles, swords, spears and personal struggles falling naturally into the music. "The underlying theme," Merek says, "was the conflict between creative types, represented by the sculptor who keeps to his roots and sticks to his guns and not progressing much, and the poet, who tries to change and grow and develop. The lyrics all have this dialogue set against dramatic medieval backgrounds."

Each element is represented: "Water" (ending with one character drowning himself in water); "Spheres" (featuring the words "I scream my lungs/My meek departing soul.. into the fragile spheres that vibrate still"); the instrumental "Upon The Sand" A high energy multi-emotional roller coaster; Sil Veth's flagship song "Stone Gazer," which features a lot of the poet/sculptor dialogue in a story which relates human elements to thier stone statues in their fear of change; and "Storm," a fiery wake up call which deals with the storms within us all and liberation from self-pity.

The band's name is a hybrid of two roots that can be found in hundreds of words throughout most Slavic languages. While the direct translation may never be known, roughly these two roots probably stand for "Power" and "Concord." Sil Veth is entering a new era, with a solidified lineu