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Review Summary: Like a new book with bent pages, Silent Planet's debut is welcome but seems used. Supposedly a discussion with J. R. R. Tolkien about the woes of modern literature inspired C.S. Lewis to write his sci-fi novel Out of the Silent Planet. Rather than simply critique the dearth of great literature in their time, Lewis and Tolkien aspired to create literature that would inspire greatness in others. If not in name alone “Christians-in-a-band” metalcore act Silent Planet have taken up Lewis’s challenge to create art that elevates the medium and the message.
While lead singer and lyric writer Garrett Russell is nowhere near Lewis’s level of literary prowess, Russell makes an honest effort at penning meaningful songs. The Night God Slept is a concept album about women who have suffered at the hand of evil and fate. Russell seems to be full of concepts himself, making no less than sixty-one references to literary works (Russell includes citations with the song booklet).
Unfortunately, he muses in wordy abstract complexities that more often than not obscure rather than illuminate his point. In the song “Firstwake” Russell chokes out “Caught in the paradox/juxtaposed between bifurcated black and white/ and my propensity to fail you.” However, when Russell isn’t copying and pasting from a thesaurus, he writes stingingly curt lines like “But God, are you man?/Then how do you see me?/From where you sit up in heaven/looking down on my hell.”
Musically, Silent Planet wobbles between an homage and an appropriation of a sound associated with Oh, Sleeper. The Night God Slept is full of fret-board arpeggios and over-produced, perfunctory drum fills that would comfortably fit with Oh, Sleeper’s sound on Son of the Morning. Thankfully, the band makes efforts to give their album a distinct sound by featuring guest musicians who broaden Silent Planet’s soundscape. However, Russell’s vocals so closely resemble Micah Kinard of Oh, Sleeper that any sonic distinction becomes lost.
While Silent Planet’s debut is good and promises a bright future for the band, they have not brought anything significantly new to the table.
| other reviews of this album |
FanCrazedPanda (5)
But God, are you man? Then how do you see me? From where you sit up in heaven...
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Excellent review. Agree hard with the Oh, Sleeper comparisons.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Thanks. I really wanted to like this album, but I just find it a little dull.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I don't really agree with the Oh, Sleeper comparisons. I mean I can hear it to an extent, but not nearly as much as the reviewer. When listening to this I don't ever find myself thinking "this sounds like OS." I think they put far more work into atmosphere, while Oh, Sleeper is more riff and lead focused. And while the vocal styles are similar I think there's a pretty huge difference in the voices of the two vocalists.
Just my opinion. Review is good.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Terrifically worded review, especially for a first.
Unfortunately, he muses in wordy abstract complexities that more often than not obscure rather than illuminate his point.
Well said, and agreed with this album.
In the future, I'd suggest a bit more substance into the sound of the album rather than just "sounds like Oh, Sleeper", even if true.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
@Durrzo: I would agree that Silent Planet have a different atmosphere than OS, but for me the first thing I thought of when I listened to them was... OS.
@cvlts Thanks. Yeah, I wanted to talk more about the sound, but I also didn't want to make the review too terribly long. So I'll have to work on striking that balance in the future.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Oh, Sleeper comparison notwithstanding, I think this is an exceptional album from an exceptional band. The atmosphere is tangible and provocative. It's formula is familiar, yet completely beside me. I dig it.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
This is pretty good
| | | Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
I heard this album in a pretty dark place, and I felt that the lyrical content was amazing. I rated this album so highly for personal resonance (and the fact that I have probably listened to it 50 times since its recent release). Like a previous comment, the template felt like it was there, but they brought it to new heights with amazing lyricism, and huge emphasis on feel and atmosphere.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
This is decent, but I've heard much much better.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
This isn't quite there. It's pretty rough compared to everything was sound.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Darkstrand is so damn good, the opening guitar riff tho
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
really appreciating this one now
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Love this, I might be seeing them in February with Dayseeker
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
hmm
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
this album deserves a better, more accurate review than the two it got
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Do it my guy
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
These guys are pure insanity live
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
"this album deserves a better, more accurate review than the two it got"
Def agree. Reviewer seems to have a bit of a bias against the singer and the lyrics, comparing him to C.S.Lewis... C'mon.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
This is still their best album and I will not entertain other options
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I still need to listen to this...
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