Although my musical tastes nowadays lean on the progressive metalcore and deathcore side of the spectrum, it was the alternative rock and metal groups of the '90s and 2000's that more-or-less bridged the gap between middle school jams and my tastes today. You'll likely never catch me listening to Collective Soul or Lacuna Coil now (unless nostalgia strikes), yet the grittiness of those grunge and alternative rock/metal bands helped introduce me to heavier music. With that being said, even if the alternative rock/metal subgenre may come off as too basic or radio pandering for your metalhead palate, there still is a time and place for this style and allows for listeners to potentially transition to something heavier.
In the dimension where I was a middle schooler during the year of 2013, I would've been a total fanatic for Silvertung's debut album, Devil's in the Details. That record revealed a proggy style alike Chevelle mixed with the catchy alternative rock manner of Three Days Grace or Stone Sour. The band continued to release multiple EPs the following years, which I could also imagine blasting out of my earbuds fueling my pubescent angst while I walked between World History and PE class.
Now comes their second LP, But at What Cost??!, which is released via Thermal Entertainment LLC. The band has shared the stage with the likes of Godsmack, Disturbed, Shinedown, Slipknot, and so many others and after giving their recent record a listen, it's pretty safe to assume they were all influential towards Silvertung's sound. Producer Steven Wright (Slipknot, Mars Volta, Rihanna) also most likely had an impact on the sound of this album given his list of past contributions.
As previously stated, I wouldn't recreationally listen to an artist this conventionally radio rock sounding, but there are bits and pieces woven through Silvertung that reminds me of the proggy alternative metal acts from my middle and high school years. Admittedly, some of the tracks on this LP are even more mature than the aforementioned artists. Opening track "Dodging Bullets" is surprisingly progressive and holds a solid groove. The chorus goes a bit farther down the radio rock route than I was hoping but luckily resolves with some meaty riffs. That duality proves to be a constant on this album where the battle between catchy and heavy wage on.
While the opener is the strongest piece on the album, "Feeling Inhuman" is quite dynamic and contrasts with the chugging "World Gone Mad." On "Wise Up," the band near close to the revved-up vibe of Disturbed. Even though the structure of "Black Sunset" comes off a bit aimless, the production aesthetic and breakdown at the two-minute mark are really enjoyable. Lastly, the closer "Done My Best" also goes out of my comfort zone in regards to the chorus, but everything else is tight and reminiscent of Nothing More.
In the end, I can't exactly picture myself going out of my way to listen to this band in the future. However, for those who are in that rock-to-metal transition, Silvertung is perfect. Their ability to overlap mainstream sounding choruses with chugging riffs and the occasional progressive approach to alternative rock/metal is quite impressive. Although there are only seven tracks on But at What Cost??!, most of these songs demonstrate the band's keen sense of witty songwriting. This band won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for the alternative rock and metal demographic, this album is certainly worth checking out.
Score: 7.5/10
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