Review: Silverburn ‘Self Induced Transcendental Annihilation’
OK, so 2020, it’s mostly a year we would rather forget. With Covid being a global situation, pretty much everything came to a halt at some point. As well as being manhandled into various lockdown scenarios across the globe, so much was put on hold, including lives, and interactions with other human beings. Yes, it sucked, and as much as it proved a stumbling block for most of us, for one person, it didn’t stop the creative process, and through it all Silverburn was born by Taint and Hark founder who goes by the name James ‘Jimbob’ Isaac.
Fast forward to 2023, and the result of this creation is the debut album, Self Induced Transcendental Annihilation, or SITA for short. It’s a ferocious beast of an album, and over the course of the eight tracks, it will leave you begging for mercy in its wake. It is a powerhouse of visceral noise, a savage cross between metal and hardcore, and when all bets are off, it’s a fight to the death.
Upon initial listens it has me looking at a hybrid of Sepultura infused NYC old school hardcore, but there’s so much more to it as with a closer inspection, it’s not so much a Sepultura sound, its more a Derrick Green style delivery and vibe. Taking that concept and splicing it with the likes of Sick Of It All, and bands of that nature, it is like a savage attack, brutal in delivery, and face melting in intensity.
To think this kind of sound is coming out of Wales is insane, it would feel more at home as something coming out from across the great pond, and with each new track, it really does nod towards grown in the USA.
Right from the opening bars of track one, Annihilation, there’s an instantaneous pounding to the throat, such is the power of the piece. It has a visceral hardcore punch to it, and its right from this moment I draw those Derrick Green comparisons. There’s also some Biohazard power in there, but its more mature in delivery. Complete with chunky guitar, and those blast beats of bass drum, its brutal, and this is just the start.
Formless Atomization Of Omniscient Particulate, track two, only serves to solidify that hardcore vibe, and after checking the full track listing, it’s clear, to me at least, that it’s not since Carcass decided to use the most elaborate ways to name their songs, has an artist really homed in on titles which are, in their very nature, as awkward and at times as overblown as the music can be. But not in a bad way, especially the music.
It is feral in its ferocity…
I digress as back to the song in question, again, those Derrick Green style vocals are met face on, with a wall of hardcore venom, which leaves a bloody taste in the mouth, and a feeling of unease in the gut. Track three then shakes things up, and with a charged statement of ‘you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ that is spat out repeatedly, Vita Potentia Animus really is an assault on the ears indeed.
This feeling is projected across Pain Body (Torn From Auric Field), and as it awkwardly charges through, it feels disjointed and anxiety inducing. It is both powerful and vitriolic at the same time. Simulacreality comes straight in off the back of track four and is pulsating right from its inception. Again, those Derrick Green vocal attack vibes are ringing, and this piece pulls in some punk rock to the proceedings. It is feral in its ferocity.
My personal highlight for the whole album though is track six, The Unrelenting Will Of Boundless Immortality. A monstrous guitar leads the way, there is also an old school hardcore feel to it, which I love, and, to me, also throws up nods to Somnuri. Again, the title says a lot, although this time, it’s perfectly descriptive for the context.
As we get to the last two tracks, it is obvious that it won’t be ending with any half arsed ballady sentimental crescendos. Track seven, Etheric Crush, is almost seven minutes of utter devastation, when literally everything seems to be thrown into the mix. It’s hard to even comprehend that this is a solo project at this point, such is its intensity. It leads nicely into album closer, Bathe In Fire, which, even though being slightly less full on, is still abrasive, and comparable to having nails shot at you. It doesn’t so much leave you feeling complete, as it does in submission.
Firmly stamping a path for the future, this really is only the beginning for Silverburn, keep an eye open for the name as I’m sure they will be getting a lot of attention over the coming months.
Label: MSH Music Group
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
