Album Review: Rescue by Silverstein

Anyone under the impression that Canadian post-hardcore outfit Silverstein is a one-trick pony needs look no further than the band’s latest release, Rescue. The second half of the album kicks off with the pummeling sound of “The Artist” before the band does their best Rise Against impression with “Burning Hearts” and then transitions to the poppy “Darling Harbour”. Other tracks like “Live to Kill” and “Sacrifice” harness Silverstein’s Discovering the Waterfront-era screamo sound without feeling as though the band is re-hashing old material.

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Their first record since leaving Victory, Silverstein prove they can still write a hit or two... Silverstein’s first output since leaving their long-time home of Victory Records is one that comes with few surprises in store. Their scream-a-bit / sing-a-bit / beatdown formula is one well abused, not least by Silverstein themselves, but they do pull it off with more sincerity than the majority of their peers.

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Canadian post-hardcore group Silverstein's fifth album, Rescue, sounds more like a bid for commercial success than their rawer previous releases. And yet, while that would generally be a criticism for any band with underground roots, in this case, the results work, at least for the most part. The production is slicker, the pop-punky parts are poppier, and the songwriting is more streamlined—and occasionally too much so—but on the flip side, both the music and the themes delve more deeply into the extremes of human emotion.

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With their fifth album now under their belt, Silverstein continue to prove themselves to be one of the most consistent bands in post-hardcore, and in a genre that constantly shifts as much as theirs does, that’s saying something. On Rescue, as with their other albums, what works for Silverstein is that rather than chasing production trends, they’ve decided to focus on polishing their own approach, sticking fervently to a sound that seems at times to mix equal parts Victory Records and Fat Wreck Chords, fusing driving skatepunk with breakdown-heavy screamo to make music that feels as if it’s always hurtling forward, even during its more melodic moments. The opening track, “Medication,” really showcases what the band does best, feeling like the post-hardcore answer to NOFX’s “Linoleum” with its rapid-fire beat and soaring feeling.

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