EP REVIEW: A Darkened Visionary – Silenmara
The infamous US State Florida is well known for its laid-back Quays and playing host to Disney World. It’s now about to be known for something else, they are melodic death metallers SILENMARA and there is going to be more than a much-needed wake up call. They are often declared “the most Swedish sounding band from America” and after listening to their latest EP A Darkened Visionary, it’s easy to see why this has been acknowledged.
The EP kicks off really well with the track God Particle; this track contained solid guitar work, prevailing vocals and thunderous drums. The guitar solos in this track were excellent and will no doubt have fans practising air guitar to these finger blistering riffs and solos.
The EP in general is a collection of brutal, dominant and high energy tracks. The mix of the melodic flairs of Sweden’s Gothenburg-style and the brutal aggression from the Florida-style of death metal can be heard very clearly. It’s hard to achieve any kind of balance with anything you try at in life, it can go either way when it’s regarding the outcome. In this case, they have got the balance of brutality and melody spot on.
The best examples of this brilliant mix of styles is highly reinforced and can be heard more than clearly in the tracks Bed of Lies, Rampallian and Locust. Bed of Lies starts off violently with the rapid drums, speedy guitars and the long signature death growl. The transition from this to showcasing the melodic elements of the track is done in a very smooth manner. Throughout the rest of the song, it continues to maintain that balance of brutality and melodic flair. In Rampallian, it showcases the same balance of brutality and melody. This track is the definition of organised chaos; the instrumental arrangements sound like pieces of mayhem but they are carefully placed together to create the fantastic outcome with the perfect balance. Locust seems to have a little bit more structure to the track then the others but it still remains brutal. It’s another great track that showcases the band’s work remarkably well.
When it comes to summing up A Darkened Visionary as a whole, organised chaos comes to mind. Even though the tracks have this illusion of having random arrangements from two completely different aspects just placed together, when listening to the record these elements work incredibly well together. The world had better watch it, SILENMARA mean business and they will not be taking prisoners anytime soon.
Rating: 8/10
A Darkened Visionary is out now via self-release.
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