about%20-%20jpg.jpg reviews%20-%20jpg.jpg interviews%20-%20jpg.jpg gigs%20-%20jpg.jpg cd_review_silenmara_collectionofconscience001006.jpg
SILENMARA
www.myspace.com/silenmara
Melodic death metal can be predictable. The songs largely follow the same structure: the requisite heavy, loud, and aggressive riffs with accompanying guttural grunts are very quickly followed by extended passages of open chords or arpeggiated guitar-lines and emotive singing before returning to the heavy bit and then steaming ahead into the brutal coda. The oscillation between these two “opposites” that usually saturates a typical album of the genre means it’s difficult for any band to be original or unique when working within the confines of the genre. Silenmara, who are technically proficient with a versatile vocalist, match the genre’s best, but largely they fail to stand out as singular or distinctive as they tick all the boxes and fail to create any of their own. The technical aspects of the album and vocalist Miller’s range means that there is a lot going on across the tracks; the death metal elements are crushing and the cleaner passages allow the band to display the diversity in their skills; and the down-tuned riffs are brutal, as are the harsh vocals. But of course, brutality and pseudo-sensitivity are both fundamental components of the genre and so Silenmara bear little in the way of difference. That’s not to say that ‘Collection of Conscience’ is a bad album, nor is it a mediocre melodic death metal album. It’s good but not great, and neither is it outstanding in any other way than instrumental and vocal versatility. With musicians of such calibre, it’s easy to see why Tony Choy (Atheist, Pestilence, Cynic) and Santiago Dobles (Aghors) would choose to work with the band and they have both done a phenomenal production job, but there’s little new or ground-breaking here, only more of the same. It’s done exceptionally well and will no doubt satisfy diehard fans of the genre but we’ve heard it before. A lot. Maybe their next one will see them up their game…
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Self-released
Album
COLLECTION OF CONSCIENCE
cd%20reviews%20-%20jpg.jpg
Review by Jason Guest
RUNNING TIME:
33:55
RELEASE DATE:
September 2011
TRACK LISTING
1) Delerium Tremens
2) Collection of Conscience
3) Elixir
4) Subject of Compromise
5) Pnumonic Incision
6) The Count
7) Chesire Cat
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"Silenmara, who are technically proficient with a versatile vocalist, match the genre’s best, but largely they fail to stand out as singular or distinctive..."
within%20temptation%20-%20tivoli%20april%2005%20frame%20home.jpg