Silent Era

Watch the Torches Fade Out (2015)

Kelly D

With 10 tracks clocking in at just under 45 minutes, the debut LP Watch the Torches Fade Out from Silent Era is a recommended listen for fans of late 1990s/2000s post-hardcore. Throughout the record, the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan five piece balance dark/chaotic and bright/melodic themes that results in an aural confluence in the vein of At the Drive In, Alexisonfire, mewithoutYou, etc.

“Tripping on Shedded Skin” is the opening track to the album and gives listeners an idea of what to generally expect throughout the LP – melodic vs. distorted guitars, spoken word/prose vs. yelling chorus vocal styles, and lots of interesting dynamic between heavy and soft parts in the rhythm section. “Atlanticism”, one of the stand out tracks on this album, begins with a super slick finger tapping riff by guitarist Justin Cyr, eventually moving through a series of fast sections before building up to a powerful and rhythmic 3/4 outro.

“Firetalk”, my personal favourite track, is an absolute kick in the teeth from the first note. Musically, listeners can expect a mix of Alexisonfire’s Watch Out with vocal delivery reminiscent of mewithoutYou’s A→B Life or La Dispute’s early material. Lyrically, “Firetalk” seems to tell a story about wanting to just say no and walk away from someone you love, but not being able to. The song eventually crescendos to a chaotic outro with vocalist Leif Carlson repeatedly declaring “In this light you’re perfect” before slowing fading out.

“Punching Out the Poison” shows the musical talent of the quintet with some nice time signatures changes between 5/4 and 6/4; Nicole Sanderson’s basslines really shine on this track. “Sorrow is a Hobby that Becomes a Routine” focuses around a sludgy riff in 3/4 that eventually bursts into a series of fast sections before ending in a mid-tempo section with some really tight guitar leads. The closing track “Legacy” is the most melodic and slowest track on the album and fits great as a closing track. It sounds similar to later works by Pianos Become the Teeth and adds a good amount of depth to the album as a whole.

As a whole, Watch the Torches Fade Out is really good post-hardcore record which is reflected by thoughtful lyrics, beautiful guitar tones, and a tight rhythm section. The mixing and production on this record is ace, however, I’m personally not a huge fan of the snare drum. The sound of the vocals seems to vary by each track which is a tad bit distracting for the listener (e.g. see Hotel Bibles vs. Dirty Wound, Dirty Water). For their first effort, Silent Era has produced an interesting collection of songs that are sure to catch the ears and warm the hearts of post-hardcore fans alike.