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SILENT CIVILIAN
"Rebirth
of the Temple" (Mediaskare; 2006)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Former Spineshank vocalist Jonny Santos introduces his new band with surprisingly effective results and an almost totally different sound.
"Rebirth of the Temple" is a thrash / metalcore mix that won't make you automatically think about Spineshank but instead has a sound all its own. The industrial sterility of Spineshank is gone and in its place is a raw metal soul. Jonny has said in interviews that he wanted to start a modern thrash band and, while that may not be exactly what he's done here, Silent Civilian's blend of metalcore and thrash elements comes close.
As you might expect, Santos' vocals are a highpoint of "Rebirth of the Temple." Once again, Santos proves he can both scream and sing and he does both well here. What you might not expect, however, is to discover that Santos is one mean guitar shredder. Handling all guitars on "Rebirth of the Temple," Santos pulls out some fiery riffs and razor sharp leads and gives the CD a monstrous wall of sound. And, judging from the tightness of the songs here, he's surrounded himself with other incredibly talented musicians as well (namely, Henno on bass and vocals and Chris Mora on drums).
Despite the lack of similarities between Spineshank and Silent Civilian, I can't imagine any Spineshank fan not being able to find something to like about Santos' new band. And I think it's even more likely that those who weren't big fans of Spineshank but who prefer old school thrash will really dig Silent Civilian's modern twist on the genre.
Silent Civilian: Jonny Santos - vocals, guitars; Henno - bass, vocals; Chris Mora - drums.
For more information, check out www.silentcivilian.com or www.myspace.com/silentcivilian.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2006 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
16 Dec 2024 12:46:36 -0500.
