This Silent Divide – The Fire (13th Floor EP Review)
Wellington band This Silent Divide plate up their heavy rock EP The Fire, dripping with melodic guitar lines, and pent-up anger.
Several years ago, my band opened for these guys. It was a Sunday session at Valhalla, they seemed like proper nice fellas. After the gig, they’d occasionally leave kind comments on our social media whenever we did long (and often very overdue) posts.
The gig had plenty of energy for an admittedly sparsely attended show. I did enjoy watching them play. I would have likened it to a dark early Foo Fighters meets the final Somerset album. The guitars heavy, but not flashy. The drummer, I seem to remember, was extremely talented. And, the vocals captured a unique rock drone that sat well in the mix.
But, hey! It’s been three years, there’s been releases since and Shaun (vocals and guitar) and Kieran (guitar and vocals) have had an entire rhythm section overhaul. So, I was eager to hear how This Silent Divide had developed.
This band has worked hard to earn their space in the cluttered bookshelf that is the Wellington music scene. Regular attendance at Wellington’s Tiny Triumph Studio for each outing on record, and a solid circuit of the major small-medium Wellington venues (including the now defunct underground stages).
The Fire sets a dark tone straight off the bat. If you’ve heard them before, expect more of the same. They know what they want to do, and they do it well. The overall vibe has not changed since I last saw them perform. However, there’s a lot of decent riffage amongst these four songs. Perhaps it’s just my observation, but these guys have expanded their sound and scope.
One thing that really jumps out is the guitar work. There’s a really strong sense of melody over the aggressive rhythm section. There is plenty of variety in what can sometimes be a slightly repetitive genre in regard to lead guitar. Couple this with a solid rhythm section, and you’ve got a nicely produced sound.
For a band that markets themselves as melodic rock, the vocal melodies sit on the slightly more unconventional side. Control does a pretty good job at adding an almost commercial friendly hook to the chorus however. Shaun Jones’ roars into the microphone throughout the EP, and makes his demands in the final track, City Lights.
I suppose the big theme in this album is that this band wants to be taken seriously. Watch their video for City Lights and you’ll see them performing in a gloomy, less-than-reputable looking establishment. Rocking out in separate rooms (and floors – must be great in-ear monitors or acoustics in there, guys! Ha!) while a fight is breaking out.
And I think we can agree that this is an EP that should be taken seriously. It’s got a good taste of anger, yes. But sincere in its delivery.
Dan Edmonds
The Fire is out Friday, October 17th.
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