In terms of blending metal subgenres, Kill The Silence’s ‘The Final Word’ makes a bold statement. The track’s very heavy intro fuses the sheer force of groove metal with the complexity of prog, resulting in something that appears to pull in different directions, yet sounds incredibly tight. It takes all of a few seconds for guitarists Sam Rickerby and Daniel Ridding to make an impact, and the huge and dirty tones recall great work by Chimp Spanner, as well as the slightly more commercial sounding later works by Lamb of God, before introducing a classic sounding hardcore vocal; the kind that would normally sit with music closer to a hardcore punk sound. By the time the audience gets to grips with that, Kill The Silence switch gears to demonstrate more of a melodic streak, taking things from a techy/post-hardcore stance further into a world of sophisticated emo tones, allowing plenty of space for a genuinely powerful vocal from Jason Walsh. The way he uses his voice to soar, even when the rest of the band are tackling some rather sharp edges, sets up a superb contrast, and it’s that contrast that makes ‘The Final Word’ not just interesting, but genuinely thrilling.
For those who enjoyed the track’s heavier introduction, those heavy as hell riffs return to close the track, giving rhythm section of Ian Souch (bass) and John Wallis (drums) a fantastic workout, further exploring the band’s sledgehammer-like intensity. Although, on a surface level, this number may seem to be all about the riffs, there are so many layers within this three minute blast.
A similarly complex approach has been applied to the bulk of the rest of the material on ‘Resolve’ – a seven track mini album, released in April 2026 – showcasing some rather fine musicians. The brilliant ‘Hide & Seek’ retains the heavy edge in places, fusing post-hardcore grooves and metalcore crunchiness, coming into its own on a chorus that sounds like Bring Me The Horizon topped with some of Fall Out Boy’s melodic flourishes which, in many ways, typifies the flagship Kill The Silence sound. Despite some huge vocal hooks and a great, soaring guitar solo that’s quickly offset by some nu-metal inspired sludginess, it’s the lead riff that creeps in on occasion that really lifts this number: in a manner really not suggested by ‘The Final Word’, the lead guitar peppers an already great arrangement with some very old school flourishes, bringing occasional tones of trad metal that could help to attract a few older ears. Then, sliding into a buoyant riff, ‘Almost Over’ fuses some melodic metal chops with the genuine energy of great emo-infused pop punk. In many ways, it’s here that the band’s gifts for a melodic hook are most strongly on show, and the interplay between the busy guitar lines and flowing vocal is constantly impressive. As before, though, Kill The Silence’s restless spirit allows for some great twists throughout a tightly wound three minutes, taking in a heavier post-hardcore breakdown for the middle eight and allowing some melodic guitars to do battle against a great vocal in a sharp climax. If you’ve never heard Kill The Silence before, this number really should be your first port of call.
Taking a heavier route, ‘The Longest Night’ mixes the throbbing bass grooves of classic Korn with post hardcore melodies, showcasing a really tight band even before keyboard flourishes make a busy arrangement even more interesting. The grindier elements at the heart of this recording capture a fierce band in a surprisingly natural way, and the dirtier edges are perfectly complimented by some assured hardcore inflected vocals. At the most intense point of this metal-centric workout – all force and busy lead guitars – few would expect a pulsing breakdown that sounds as if it were inspired by the ‘Theme From S’Express’, but you get that too, along with another melodic chorus hook. In many ways, this makes time for many of KTS’s best traits, while the piano/keys focused, Linkin Park-esque ‘Lights’ really couldn’t feel any more different. That said, the musicianship is superb throughout, and in terms of bringing a 2000/2001 era alternative sound up to date for 2026, it’s really well executed, giving Walsh a backdrop that feels really natural for his clean vocals.
Another melodic track ‘Forever’ shows off some clean guitar work and an electronica themed backdrop during an understated intro, before delivering one of the release’s crunchier riffs, rooted in a classic, slow hardcore influenced breakdown. The heavier edges contrast brilliantly with the clean vocal, whilst a hardcore inspired growl that creeps in elsewhere shows how effortlessly the band are able to draw from past acts. Fans of Bring Me The Horizon should find an instant musical kinship, although the layered approach taken by KTS ensures that nothing here feels entirely like a direct lift.
Released as a single, ‘Superficial (Carry On)’ provides another highlight here. A quiet intro sets an almost proggy feel in place with its muted guitar sounds, before a hard edged rhythm suggests something more metal based, but this too comes with more of a flow and a very melodic tone. Then it’s all change to introduce a mechanical rhythm and some busy guitar work that suggests a love of metalcore, before everything scales back to settle into more of an emo sound, that plays like a mix of Placebo’s noisier numbers meeting Fall Out Boy while a post-rock guitarist shares a busy riff. It sounds great, and the genre-bending approach works the band really hard, without drawing away from a strong melody. Those who love it when Kill The Silence cut loose will be pleased to note that this track isn’t just about the more commercial hooks: there’s still a middle eight that’s powered by pneumatic rhythms and a heavy metalcore chug which, although relatively brief, makes a genuine impact. It really proves that post-hardcore sounds needn’t be niche.
In the past, Kill The Silence have shared stages with Mallory Knox, We Came As Romans and others, as well as having received solid support from BBC Introducing. On the basis of this seven track release, their future seems incredibly bright. It’s the perfect vehicle for a post-hardcore band who seem unafraid of throwing musical curveballs, and the kind of recording that should make a lot of metal fans sit up and take notice.
April 2026
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