Silverstein - This is How the Wind Shifts
Since their mass breakout year with Discovering the Waterfront in 2005, Canadian Post-Hardcore outfit Silverstein have released an album every one or two years. However, many of these records have failed to capture such a great balance of clean versus scream vocals as well as the unique guitar melodies seen in Discovering the Waterfront. Eight years later, their latest album This is How the Wind Shifts comes very darn close.
Released on February 5, 2013 This is How the Wind Shifts is an exploration of fate an idea reminiscent of the movie The Butterfly Effect.
The opening track Stand Amid the Roar begins with Shane Tolds signature scream and heavy guitar riff. The intro is up-tempo and it continues this way into the chorus. It also includes a slightly more relaxed instrumental, which breaks up the song and creates a nicer listening experience.
Massachusetts begins with a hooking melody. Somehow, even with a change in lead guitarist in 2012 the band has managed to retain their fairly unique sound which they pioneered when influencing the Post-Hardcore genre back in the early 2000’s.
This is How takes a laid back feel and includes only clean vocals and transitions into A Better Place. These transitions make the album more pleasant to listen to as a whole. A Better Place gets gradually heavier and ends with Jack Told’s screams. The song has a hint of Pierce the Veil’s Collide with the Sky.
The following song Hide Your Secrets takes a punkier tone and only includes clean vocals. The rhythm guitar and lead guitar synchronise really well in this song. It includes the lyrics “Put me out my misery, with those hands I’ll never trust again”- dark lyrics that are Shane Told’s bread and butter.
The Wind Shifts is another short transitionary song, which helps explore the concept of fate and how “this wind changed me”- the idea that different winds can change the result of a situation and ultimately your life. The album as a whole, explores all the different winds that can change a person’s life.
Departures is the finals song and is the parallel to arrivals. It is relaxed but builds up with different instruments. It has a melancholy feel to it, a very wintery feel. It is a great ending to the album and helps close the story.
The lyrics within This is How the Wind Shifts are like poetry and Silverstein have done a great job of provoking thought and the right mood through these lyrics and their music. The record doesn’t have that raw aggression that was in Discovering the Waterfront and doesn’t have any really stand out tracks, like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon you really need to listen to the whole album from beginning to end to have the best experience.
Ryan Hyde
Released on February 5, 2013 This is How the Wind Shifts is an exploration of fate an idea reminiscent of the movie The Butterfly Effect.
The opening track Stand Amid the Roar begins with Shane Tolds signature scream and heavy guitar riff. The intro is up-tempo and it continues this way into the chorus. It also includes a slightly more relaxed instrumental, which breaks up the song and creates a nicer listening experience.
Massachusetts begins with a hooking melody. Somehow, even with a change in lead guitarist in 2012 the band has managed to retain their fairly unique sound which they pioneered when influencing the Post-Hardcore genre back in the early 2000’s.
This is How takes a laid back feel and includes only clean vocals and transitions into A Better Place. These transitions make the album more pleasant to listen to as a whole. A Better Place gets gradually heavier and ends with Jack Told’s screams. The song has a hint of Pierce the Veil’s Collide with the Sky.
The following song Hide Your Secrets takes a punkier tone and only includes clean vocals. The rhythm guitar and lead guitar synchronise really well in this song. It includes the lyrics “Put me out my misery, with those hands I’ll never trust again”- dark lyrics that are Shane Told’s bread and butter.
The Wind Shifts is another short transitionary song, which helps explore the concept of fate and how “this wind changed me”- the idea that different winds can change the result of a situation and ultimately your life. The album as a whole, explores all the different winds that can change a person’s life.
Departures is the finals song and is the parallel to arrivals. It is relaxed but builds up with different instruments. It has a melancholy feel to it, a very wintery feel. It is a great ending to the album and helps close the story.
The lyrics within This is How the Wind Shifts are like poetry and Silverstein have done a great job of provoking thought and the right mood through these lyrics and their music. The record doesn’t have that raw aggression that was in Discovering the Waterfront and doesn’t have any really stand out tracks, like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon you really need to listen to the whole album from beginning to end to have the best experience.
Ryan Hyde