IN SILENCE – One For All EP

Formed from the ashes of several local acts in 2016, Swedish melodic metal band In Silence took a while before they got around to recording their debut EP. Like most bands, they honed their craft with various live shows before releasing any studio material, but ‘One For All’ kick starts their recording career with a bang. The three featured songs are hugely contemporary for the time of release and the production values are nice and sharp throughout. Simply put, there’s nothing about this recording that sounds low budget, half-arsed or like the work of a band that wasn’t absolutely ready.

Of the three tracks, ‘Final Solution’ is the number that gets both the sound and energy of the band’s material across the best. Tapping into melodic metal with a very European angle, the track thunders from the speakers, much in the way you’ve come to expect from an In Flames album. Like those fellow Scandinavians, this track pushes forth a huge fascination with crisp guitar riffs and hugely melodic twin leads – elements that really lend the number some very strong musical hooks. By paring those with a world of electronic sounding keyboard loops, the track sounds even more energised without ever sounding forced. On top of this wall of sound Erika Jonsson’s vocals are especially impressive. If you took the louder end of Cristina Scabbia’s range and fused that with the older style of Angeiica Rylin and then allowed the voice to really soar, you probably still wouldn’t come close to replicating the kind of energy Erika Jonnson conjures throughout this track. There are no weak links here – In Silence take all of Swedish metal’s finest elements and create something of their own…and it’s something that sounds absolutely committed. With another great melodic loop, ‘Fallen’ at first promises more of the same, but pretty quickly it branches out into a fantastic riff straight from the school of classic In Flames or melodic Soilwork, something that highlights the strength in guitarists Sebastian Elmlund and Daniel Delin. When delivering those riffs at full pelt – backed by some solid drumming from Rasmus Engstrand throughout – they sound great, but on a few moments where the number allows for slower head-bobbing riffs and occasional pneumatic edginess, they sound even better. With a huge chorus that’s keen to take centre stage, this hybrid of Swedish metal and Halestorm’s sense of a classic melody is another fine listen.

The title cut falls somewhere between the two extremes. On the surface, it sounds like Nightwish crossed with Halestorm but with bigger boots, but several listens slowly uncover a band whose complex style takes such influences and shakes them into something a little fresher. The inclusion of a few melodic death growls adds a new depth and heaviness in places, though these never feel obtrusive in any way and a brief detour into a vocal chant midway more than accentuates the rousing style In Silence are obviously keen to get across. The drums lend a hard edge throughout, but its the combination of those perfect guitars and an equally appealing lead vocal that carry everything from the outset. Within these few minutes, In Silence take Euro metal into the stratosphere with a kitchen sink approach to arrangements and fans of the style should prepare themselves to have another favourite band.

Everything about this all-too-short release is superior to the nearest independent equivalent from Frontiers Records or any other better known labels. These guys know a great chorus and aren’t ever shy in showing those songwriting skills and the accompanying riffs and solos come with an equal measure of contemporary cool and timeless style. Fans of female fronted Euro metal should check this out without delay.

May 2019