The Silenced

First thing that comes to mind when you hear The Silenced's self-titled EP? "Wicked." Five tracks later? "Shit. It's over." It's okay, Friend... just put the album on repeat! Usually I wouldn’t be able to listen to this short of an album over and over again without getting sick of it in the first hour or so, but this EP's a welcome exception.

The Silenced is based out of Toronto - but who isn't lately? - and consists of four members: Kevin Ker (rhythm guitar and mad lyricist), Ryan Clifford (additional vocals and lead guitarist extraordinaire), Shawn Royal (slappin' dem skinz), & Neil Tyrrell (crazy-good bassist from the land of crazy-good bassists? ... RIP Creativity. I barely knew ye!)

The first track on the album is called "The Never Ending Fall", and there's only one word I can think of to describe it - Addictive. The beat is very much like the one for "Good Times" by Finger Eleven, which is still one of my favourite songs. The lead guitar is wicked, and although it may set some pretty high expectations for songs to come, this album meets those initial expectations 110%.

Second song? "Mischievous." This song features less prominence for the drums, and a lot more focus on vocal harmonies. Very different, equally awesome. Actually, that's one thing (well, one of many) that's absolutely incredible with this album - no Billy Ray Cyrus complex. Every song has a fresh sound; that's probably why I haven't gotten sick of it. That and it's a wicked good album.

Next, it's ballad time, in the form of "Sense of Vacancy." I use the term ballad rather loosely... the band doesn't let you down and go all Lovey McNoballs. Kevin Ker's voice still has that dirty grunge sound which, combined with the hauntingly distorted music, prevents the song from sounding even remotely puss-like. Quite possibly my favourite song off the EP, but that'll probably change in about 10 minutes. I'm way too indecisive.

The last two songs, "Weight" and "Mary O'Nette", pick up the pace once more. The intro for "Weight" has an acoustic-esque sound to it, then the song gradually picks up. Sitting between the ever-so-slightly more mellow "Sense of Vacancy" and the hard-hitting "Mary O'Nette", it makes a great transitional song. You're not left with the shock that sometimes happens when a faster-paced song follows a slower one; it flows smoothly.

All in all, this is a fantastic album. It leaves a very high standard for the band's next album to surpass, but I don't have the slightest doubt in my mind that The Silenced will continue to wow their current fans while picking up new ones along the way. Something big's about to happen with this band... I can feel it.

To view the original visit http://www.puregrainaudio.com/reviews/the_silenced.htm
- Shawna Ballik for PureGrainAudio.com

Two days later... I can still feel the music. That’s how good The Silenced were when they played their CD release party on March 10th in Toronto. It’s like musical masturbation, I’m telling you. (Rude, I know – but the only way I can think of to sum it up.)

Just picture it. 11:30 rolls around, the place is packed. Some people are there solely for the music, whether it’s for The Silenced, or one of the other three bands playing the show – Inside, Shady Character Revolution, and Proxy Set. Most are just regulars who haven’t even heard of any of the bands on the bill and just want to get drunk on $3.50 beers and graffiti the bathrooms. The Silenced takes the stage, thanks everyone for coming out... then, they start to play “The Never Ending Fall” and – the crowd goes wild? Nope. The crowd just stands there. In awe. Then, when the song’s over... everyone goes nuts, and that’s the way it stays for the rest of the set. Like I said before, the majority of the people who walked (or drunkenly stumbled) into Sneaky Dee’s that night didn’t have a clue what they were getting themselves into. But I guarantee, not a single person left there disappointed. And if they did, they’re morons. And obviously aren’t included under the umbrella of my Guarantee.

This is the second time I’ve heard The Silenced play live in three weeks (the first being when I first came across them at Edge 102’s Steamwhistle Indie Club – which was, P.S., absolutely incredible). The band seems to have this continuing theme of setting crazy-high expectations amongst the fans, and then passing them like it’s nothing. First, with their CD (I’m not going to restate the entire review here... Go read it for yourself.) Now with their live performance… I really didn’t think that they could get any better after the Steamwhistle show - how could they? But then I go to Sneaky Dee’s and... oh wait, that’s how.

I’ve gotta say, one of my biggest inhibitions about going to live shows is that some of the best bands CD-wise are absolutely wretched live. Especially when it comes to the vocals. This is definitely not the case with The Silenced. The music, the vocals, everything... CD quality, but times about a million when it comes to the energy. What’s more, the band’s about to take that energy and hit people all over the country with it. They start their Eastern Canadian tour on April 27 at the Bovine Sex Club right here in Toronto. The tour will take them to various cities throughout Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and won’t bring them back home until mid-May. (There’s a full tour schedule at the bottom of the page. Scroll down, you lazy arses.)

After that... who knows? More touring, possibly a video? Work on another album? This is all purely speculation – but a girl can dream, can’t she?

TOUR DATES/PLACES

For tour updates, and just general band shit, hit the website: http://www.thesilenced.ca

April 27 – Bovine Sex Club (Toronto, ON)
April 28 – Café Dekuf (Ottawa, ON)
April 29 – Café Chaos (Montréal, QC)
May 02 – Bugaboo Creek (Frederickton, NB)
May 03 – O’Leary’s (St. John, NB)
May 04 – Neptune’s (St. John, NB)
May 5/6 – Bunkers (Sydney, NS)
May 08 – Seahorse Tavern (Halifax, NS) **Acoustic show
May 09 – Stage Nine (Halifax, NS)
May 10 – Paramount Lounge (Moncton, NB)
May 12 – Temps Partiel (Québec City, QC)
May 13 – Club Sapphire (Montréal, QC)

- Shawna Ballik for PureGrainAudio.com