156/Silence – Irrational Pull

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Hardcore metallers 156/SILENCE is set to release their latest album "Irrational Pull." This aggressive outfit is an in your face heavy dropping experience. From the high melodies to the brutal, crushing breakdowns, this band out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania uses discordant sounds blended with low tones to create a savage assault on the ears. While the group has been influenced by acts such as VARIALS and NORMA JEAN, they are blazing their own path through the metal world.

"High Dive In A Low Well" is the first impression that 156/SILENCE gives you of the direction the band is heading. The track begins with a discordant guitar blended with off key vocals before the bottom drops out and the brutality of the group is exposed. These heavy hitting beats feel like a roller coaster as they change from the high tones to the low tones constantly and unpredictably leaving the listener wondering where the next drop hits. "Taste Of Ashes" offers more of a structured sound before opening up into insane chaos. The vocals are absolutely eviscerating. The track shows the band’s ability to blend such aggressive sounds into a structured track. "Lost Visual" has an odd sound from the beginning. The slow melodic guitar tones are met with an almost disconnected vocal performance. The intended sound gives the listener a very high degree of unease before the breakdowns hit. Screeching tones invade your mind making that unease constant through the track. While abrasive to listen to at times, the track is crafted well and has interesting points that keep the listener intrigued.

"Conflict Of Interest" is probably the most interesting track on the album for me because the guitar tones are not usually heard. Separately, the tones would be hard to listen to but when blended you see the intricate formation of an interesting track. Add in the savage breakdowns and the ocean of chaos that the band creates is intriguing. "By A Thread, I Suspend" punches you right in the face with savage riffs and more eviscerating vocal work. The riffs in the middle part of the song are very well placed and then they hit you with the brutal breakdown that is prevalent throughout the album. "Denouement" is the culmination of all the different elements that we were introduced to throughout the album. They even add one more element that makes this track my favorite. The clean vocals that they employ in this track are crisp, clear and the tones used gives an interesting dichotomy of bright tones against dark tones.

When I hit the first track of "Irrational Pull" I was hesitant to dive deeper into this album. The sheer abrasiveness that you are met with from the beginning can be overwhelming. And that is exactly what this album is: an overwhelming force of sound. I’m glad that I ventured further into this chaos as there are really great points throughout each song. This sophomore release from 156/SILENCE is interesting through and through. So I would recommend this album especially if you are looking for something that is different.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 8