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It is 2022 and if I have to explain who Silverstein are, you have definitely come to the wrong place. Whether you listen to punk, rock, hardcore, metal, I bet you have come across them at least once, and it is almost impossible to dive into any modern scene without them lurking at the back. Versatile and persistent, it is insane to realise that they have been a band for more than 20 years, but here we are for their eleventh (!!!) studio record Misrey Made Me that is just as fresh and energetic as ever, if not even more than expected.
Like every self-respecting band pushing 20, Silverstein announced this one as one of their "best" ones ever, and they might be on to something. For a band with 10 records in their career, it is very hard to pick a favourite, and many will surely go for their sophomore classic Discovering The Waterfront (2005), but Misery Made Me might easily be Silverstein at their best. Naturally, it is more mature, polished and well-balanced, but also extremely honest, invigorating, and ridiculously catchy from start to finish. Ignore any nostalgic memories and past moments of glory, simply consider the timeframe and we might have a modern classic from one of the scene's oldest surviving troopers.
Throughout their extensive career, Silverstein have been described as everything that exist in the rock media lexicon, from emo and scremo through alternative rock, metal and easycore to punk rock and skate punk. They really are one of those bands that take inspiration from everywhere and pay homage to it all in such a masterful way that somehow does not piss anyone off. Misery Made Me might be considered a alternative/melodic post-hardcore record but it is also everything above, and more. It is simply Silverstein.
To put them in context of their peers and show just how influential they have been for decades, Silverstein have tracks with Liam Cormier (Cancer Bats), Scott Wade (ex-Comeback Kid), Caleb Shomo (Attack Attack!, Beartooth), Aaron Gillespie (Underoath), Simple Plan and Intervals, as well as Lights and Princess Nokia. Moreover, they obviously appeared in the iconic 'All I Want' by A Day To Remember over 10 years ago, dropped a rare split with August Burns Red, while Shane has worked with Ausse dubstep metalhead PhaseOne.
For Misery Made Me they have added Andrewy Neufeld (Comeback Kid), Mike Hranica (The Devil Wears Prada), Nothing, Nowhere and Trevor Daniel to their collection, as another clear statement of their central role in the history of modern music in general. On top of all that, aside from one lead guitar change, Silverstein's lineup has been the same consistent and legendary bunch of Canadian dudes for more than twenty years, and I don't have to tell you that almost no other band can say the same. Huge respect!
Straight from the first second of the record, the opening 'Our Song' hits you with uncontainable energy and that characteristic "anthem of a lost generation" vibe of every timeless punk rock rager. Similar punky feel can be heard across 'It's Over' and 'Live Like This' while the likes 'Die Alone' lean heavily towards Silverstein's hardcore sensibilities, fuelled by unfiltered rage and raw riffage.
Enjoying a new home under UNFD since their previous A Beautiful Place To Drow, Silverstein continue to explore those "blistering cuts of aggression and melody" that could easily be branded as modern alternative metal. 'Ultraviolet' is a prime example with its brilliant "50,000 volts" brakdown, matched only by Mike Hranica's trademark tirade in 'Slow Motion'.
And then there is the rhapsody masterpiece 'The Altar / Mary'... If there was ever a track to best summarize Silverstein with all their post-hardcore swagger, mood swings, imaginative compositions and just complete instrumental and vocal mastery, it is this one. It is 4 minutes of complete madness, and Silverstein at the absolute prime of their career.
Misery Made Me confidently goes back and forth in time, highlighting moments of brilliance across their entire discography. With more than 20 years and countless LPs and EPs behind their back, they effortlessly overshadowed the entire scene that they helped build. Unstoppable, omnipresent and irreplaceable, Silverstein do not sound like a band that intends to slow down any time soon, so on to #12 I guess?
Silverstein - Misery Made Me
Country: Canada
Released: 6 May 2022
Label: UNFD
Tracklisting:
1. 'Our Song'
2. 'Die Alone' (ft. Andrew Neufeld)
3. 'Ultraviolet'
4. 'Cold Blood' (ft. Trevor Daniel)
5. 'It’s Over'
6. 'The Altar / Mary'
7. 'Slow Motion' (ft. Mike Hranica)
8. 'Don’t Wait Up'
9. 'Bankrupt'
10. 'Live Like This' (ft. nothing, nowhere.)
11. 'Misery'
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