Silverstein "Misery Made Me Deluxe" Review
Proving to be as vigorous as ever, Silverstein has gifted us with a smooth, harmonious catalog of knockout masterpieces that can stand alone just as strongly as they flow together. The features added in this album alone (Andrew Nuefield of Comeback Kid, Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada, and nothing,nowhere.) make this an exciting listen. Then, thinking about the fact that the band hasn’t taken a hiatus to reinvent themselves at any point makes Misery Made Me a landmark of impression in post-hardcore.
“Our Song” leads us into the album strong with a hard-hitting riff right off of the bat. The song can be interpreted in multiple ways, and settled with me as an anthem for the group, heading into their 23rd year of success. “Die Alone” drags us through a lyrically intense, instrumentally thrashing ordeal, displaying fervor that forcefully strikes in multiple facets. “Ultraviolet” is by far the catchiest song on the album, simultaneously reaching into the effects of imbalanced brain chemicals. The cadences in the chorus melodics and the repetitive riffs under the powerful leads, make this track an easy listen, paired with deep-cutting meaning.
“Cold Blood” carries us into a gentler expression. Adding singer/songwriter Trevor Daniel to the song lent to the band’s ability to connect to raw emotion and what it’s like to move through life without noticing that we’re essentially on autopilot for ourselves and others, due to all of the hardships we’ve experienced collectively and individually. “It’s Over” almost feels like a swapped perspective on “Die Alone”, once the dust has settled.
“The Alter: Mary” adds a layer of richness never observed from the group. There is a motley of interacting pieces of different genres and styles that take you through a storyline, instrumentally alone. “Slow Motion” plays off the closing of the tale and quickly yet seamlessly peels back into punk-hardcore vibes with extremely subtle sprinkles of electronic bits, as if they were leftover from the track before and fade out through the next.
“Bankrupt” is unlike anything given to us in this collection. It’s physically impossible to not head-bang, arm-flail, and scream every single word to this song once you know it. Following, “Live Like This” is without a doubt the “radio hit” of the album, captivating anyone that may be shy to the more feverish hardcore sound. “Misery” brings us back to a softer moment, unveiling the bleak truth of finding peace in pain. The rest of the record follows suit with the majority, giving its listeners continuous energetic spark.
We’re given a handful of bonus tracks of acoustic, orchestral, and live versions of some of the iconic pieces we encountered earlier in the record. Misery Made Me is overall exactly what you can expect from Silverstein – consistency, while concurrently making remarkable strides in what they add and offer to their sound.
10/10
