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Title: Apathology
Artist: Scream Silence
Genre: Goth Rock
Release Date: 14th November 2008
Label: Plainsong Records



Album Review

Hardly more than 1 ½ years have passed since the sixth SCREAM SILENCE album ‘Aphelia’ saw the lights of day and the Berlin-based band around Hardy Fieting was once again busy. On ‘Apathology’ they’re taking a look behind the inner cage of the individuals who’ve fallen into mental apathy because the world around them has become unbearable…

The first piece that opens the doors of ‘Apathology’ for us is named ‘The Faint’ and is, like you might have already expected a longer, a more epic arranged track where sinister synthetic sound waves are oscillating through the ether and bring Hardy’s distinct vocals with them, soon underlined with understated electronic drums, we get introduced to a beautiful chorus where the guitars come in. But where are the real drums? When you least expect it they’re thundering down on you, accompanied by a wailing guitar riffs and drive the intensity to the max. What a great opener!

An old tradition says that after an epic opener comes a more driving and punchy track on a SCREAM SILENCE album. This one’s called ‘Counterfeit’ and is marching forward right after a small electronic drum sequence. The bridge of the track is still a highlight for me when Hardy’s emotional and painful-sounding voice rides on a cascade of synth washes. Brisk it goes on with ‘Above and Within’, whose atmospheric layers are so thick it’s almost creepy. I like the acoustically-tinted intro that leads into the powerful drum beat, covered with a powerful riff and when Hardy sings “I never find anyone”, it’s utmost loneliness radiating from his voice. That thing gives me goose bumps every time.

The violins stop off at ‘Downfallen’ and together with the synths and acoustic lines it’s a brilliant opening sequence for a track turning out to be a dreamy ballad and vocals mellow like a gentle sighing of the wind gliding over it. But the track gains momentum all of a sudden and develops a dynamic you wouldn’t expect from it in the first place. Harsh, the guitars blast out of the speakers on ‘Athanasia’, lending the down-tempo track an unsuspected power. As the track progresses, it’s creating a lot more strong tension with a rich string part.

I initially loved that track when I first heard it. The acoustic guitar (Lots of acoustic stuff this time around) surrounding Hardy while he’s humming a melody, coinciding with the actually balladry direction of the song with its halting drums, it’s once again a surprise that the song takes a sudden when the words “And this is what we left behind” sound. It’s like a starting signal - one epic track for the beginning and one for the end. It was leaping in my mind, when I saw the eight minutes duration of ‘Euphoria’. The title must be seen ironic as there’s nothing I would file under happy on this track. It’s whole instrumental direction, its synth and piano drenched sadness is much like a deep lake you can drown in if you’re not careful enough... “…No return”.

‘Apathology’ is a highlight in this late 2008. Atmospherically it goes way back to ‘Seven Tears’ and ‘Elegy’ combining it with the rather rocking direction of  later works all of which comes together here and creates the new essence of what SCREAM SILENCE is. One of the best Goth Rock bands Germany has (Just my opinion).


Tracklist

01. The Faint – 6:04
02. Counterfeit – 3:43
03. Apathy – 4:05
04. Above And Within – 4:09
05. Downfallen – 6:58
06. Their Bleakest Sun – 4:12
07. Athanasia – 4:30
08. And This Is What We Left Behind – 5:17
09. Killing Essay – 3:46
10. The Antagonist – 7:27
11. Euphoria – 8:18


Line-up

Hardy Fieting – Vocals, Keys, Synths
Robert Klausch – Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
René Gödde - Guitar
Hagen Schneevoigt - Bass
Heiko Wolf – Drums, Percussions


Website

http://www.screamsilence.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/screamsilencemusic   


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9


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