Silent Fate released their debut album in 2001. Shortly
thereafter the band went on one of those hiatus style
breakups, only now reemerging with an all new lineup.
Fearlessly led by vocalist/bassist/keyboardist Anthony
Paganini, the new band’s debut offering (although
technically their sophomore release), The Autumn Machine,
boasts a wide range of influences, worn wholeheartedly
on the members sleeves.
I have to admit that this album caught me off guard
quite a lot. During the albums opening tune, “Permicide,”
I had nearly decided that the band were likely big
Korn fans that were semi-versed in Obituary folklore.
While the nu-metal influence certainly doesn’t
go away as you get deeper into this disc, it does
get toned down quite a bit eventually becoming an
enjoyable part of the songs. The band show a lot more
versatility after that misleading opening track as
a matter of fact. The title track is a great example,
while it ducks and dodges in supremely nu-metal fashion
the vocals flip back and forth between the clean and
the extreme (ala bands like Killswitch Engage, newer
Soilwork, and As I Lay Dying). Just when you’ve
decided this is a metalcore band though, the band
through a curveball with a massively epic interlude
mid-song that provide solid evidence these guys know
how to play more than ‘core riffs.
“Whisper My Sweet Dear” is one of the
album highlights for sure. It’s more melodic
and more anthemic than most of the other songs and
I’m a sucker for a big anthem Another highlight
is the stoner influenced “Just Like Me.”
You can certainly here the dark chamber style echoes
of early nineties alternative rock like Alice in Chains
and later Soundgarden. This song realistically sticks
out like a sore thumb on the album since there are
no really extreme elements to it but it’s got
a great groove and I enjoy the small break from the
onslaught. It also has a killer guitar solo that I’m
still humming.
All in all it’s hard to peg this band. It’s
a pretty schizophrenic album which will appeal to
many fans of crazier bands like Between the Buried
and Me, Chiodos, and Norma Jean (although they don’t
really sound like those bands- they just largely embrace
the same general musical philosophy) but at the same
time its feet are firmly planted in extreme metal
particularly as performed by bands like the aforementioned
Obituary, Vader, and a modest sprinkling of Black
Metal. . Silent Fate has my attention with this new
release for sure. Is this the best album I’ve
heard this year? No. Does it make you wonder what
this band will be capable of when they find their
groove? You bet. Do yourself a favor though and listen
to the album over and over but NEVER EVER play the
“Pull It Back (Bambu Remix).”
The Autumn Machine a solid slab o’metal that
shows just how diverse the word “metal”
has become.
Key Tracks: “Whisper My Sweet Dear,”
“The Autumn Machine,” “Just Like
Me.”
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
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