Silent Planet

“I’ll follow you to the end, where time has no beginning.”
– Silent Planet, “Anatomy of Time”

For two years, the undertow has been stirring and the echoes of Everything Was Sound have carried Silent Planet fans through towards the next chapter of the eternal story. From the band’s inception, Silent Planet has been working on a grander narrative than any one of their albums can voice, which is exactly why their newest release, When the End Began, is such a potent feature in the band’s musical landscape. On this, their third full-length record, vocalist Garrett Russell delivers a fiery performance fueled by the pungent force of expert musicianship, each instrument crafted into a unique voice over the course of nearly a decade.

Silent Planet set a new standard for technicality and sonic identity when they entered the scene. And while their latest album doesn’t deliver anything that is out of the ordinary for the metalcore quartet, the sheer artistry and passion that course through the veins of each track is enough to leave you with chills down your spine.

“‘When the End Began’ is nothing short of spectacular and fans would expect nothing less from the band that has forged such a unique path in the music industry.”

Let me say it directly: This band lives up to the hype. Every. Single. Time.

Through lyrics, riffs, melodies, and rhythms, the band has done an excellent job creating a cohesive story alongside technical wizardry from album to album and When the End Began is no exception. The album utters its first sound on “Thus Spoke” with a patient, eerie pad that floods the silence with instant color. After a full minute of anticipation, Russell’s robust vocals break through the fog with the first words of the story the audience is about to enter. The opening track poetically ends with, “The night God slept, everything was sound,” leaving the listener with no doubt that this line – the combination of the two full-length titles of the band’s prior releases – has had more purpose than to just reference their previous works.

The album has no shortage of technical chops. The band’s ability to use rhythm and sound as instruments are unmatched. Songs like “Northern Fires” and “Visible Unseen” show off the band’s impeccable musicianship, with bass riffs and intricate drum rhythms that are performed so gracefully that you’d miss it if you weren’t listening closely. There’s the variety of textures brought out in songs like “Vanity of Sleep” and “Lower Empire.” Each sound is crafted to usher in a new feeling, a new turn in the plot, a new facet of the listening experience.

It was no surprise to also find that the melodies in this record far surpass Silent Planet’s previous work. “In Absence” alone shows a completely new side of the band’s songwriting, and the catchy hook in “The New Eternity” will actually stick with you. By the time you reach the final, familiar track, “Depths III,” the album has completed its work and you wonder if you had ever not known it.

Vocally, Russell has outdone himself. The philosophical and teleological depth of each lyric is carried like a cross. Russell deliberately chooses (and references, like a bibliography) every phrase in the writing process, and the passion for his words comes through in his powerful delivery.

While it is no surprise that every element of this record holds immense purpose, it is still an incredible work of art that blows away all expectations. The more you listen, the more you unveil, not unlike the life and God by whom the band is fueled. When the End Began is nothing short of spectacular and fans would expect nothing less from the band that has forged such a unique path in the music industry. It is a true testament to the power that music has to cut through a culture and unite strangers in compassion. Somehow, Silent Planet has found a way to speak unadulterated truth through their art with near perfect humility, love, and immaculate craftsmanship.