• Darth01 Sep 2015 Weeping Silence - For The Unsung

    In 2012,Weeping Silence gives us their third album in 17 years of existence, and the second in 1 year. The group, with two ladies in their ranks (a singer and keyboardist), share with us “For The Unsung”a delivery at the orange and black cover which should allow the curious to give an attentive ear on what these seven friends have to offer us.

    Line-up:

    • Rachel Grech - Vocals
    • Joseph Grech - Vocals
    • Manuel Spiteri - Guitars
    • Mario Ellul - Guitars
    • Sean Pollacco - Bass
    • Alison Ellul - Keyboards
    • Angelo Zammit - Drums

    Tracklist:

    1. Mourning Sighs Farewell
    2. Love Lies Bleeding
    3. Disillusioned
    4. Mire of Pity
    5. Search Within
    6. Fallen from Grace
    7. Bitter Screams
    8. Your Darkest Hour
    9. My Possession

    From the outset, the listener is greeted by a careful production and allowing to highlight perfectly the various compositions offered by Weeping Silence. Basically, nothing very surprising about all this when we know that the disc passed in the hands of Brett Caldas-Lima, an expert in the field - but everyone knows (or maybe not, but you should!), a big sound is not everything; you still need to know how to strengthen what we will find behind. To begin we lay the foundation: with our Maltese friends, we evolve in the grounds of a melodic metal rather melancholy, sad, that’s not breathing joy and does not let us imagine small butterflies in fields. Their music evolves from a formula with massive guitars, sometimes heavy (with “Love Lies Bleeding” in particular), in order to form an atmosphere, playing in the courtyard of doom. We must admit that the presence of the Swedish Anders Jacobsson from Draconianas guest is, thus, not surprising, contrasting his growls on songs “Love Lies Bleeding” and “The Search Within” with the elegant and aerial voice of Rachel Grech.
    The singer also has a rather peculiar tone, and a voice that is not common. If the music of Weeping Silence does not always shine for its originality, still marked from time to time by the great names of the genre, the song of the singer, helps to constitute an asset in the search for a personnel sound and an identity. Acute register, which is reminiscent of Anneke van Giersbergen,in some of its intonations, and in the more bass tone, but always fair and controlled enough to invite comfortably into the world built by the combo. Consistency music/voice? Impeccable and the duality between extreme male vocals and the female vocal, often dominant in the music of our Maltese, never falls into clichés: the growl comes with precision and often in support of female vocals, reproducing the effect of the beauty and the beast. But where it gets interesting is that this effect, and despite the inspiration of the bearers of the style, the base is always more swift and rhythm than the slowness and darkness usual in the genre.

    Our seven Maltese have, therefore, some good ideas, offering songs diversified enough not to bother, and fairly heterogeneous to still maintain a conductive line and a common basis. However, we can’t marvel at all the tracks. Much of the later are good, it’s true. And none are bad, it’s also quite true. The group avoids easy plagiarism and basic plans, yes, and everything is really solid from beginning to end. But then, sometimes, the group seems to fall into some rehearsals wishing to absolutely not repeat the same pattern. Trap in which it’s a pity to see some tracks fall as they are however not devoid of qualities and that the instruments do a very good job on it. “Mire Of Pity” suffer from this problem, where the keyboard is excellent, simply. But whether in the vocal lines, in some riffs or the interventions between the singing, there are some tunes already heard… with the two previous songs. If this bad equation will not decline over the term, two failures are at their counter: besides this, the chorus of “Screams Bitter” falls a little flat, and it too, moves in across that we wish to not meet: it almost looks like “Love Lies Bleeding” on this said chorus.
    However, these few glitches don’t ruin the whole work, quite the contrary: “The Search Within” and it restarts! The title has an approach more doom, slower and developing an intriguing and dark atmosphere. Even if Anders plays the spoilsports once again, the track does not turn into a vulgar plagiarism of Draconian. Where the Scandinavian play in the backyard of doom and slowdown the tempo over the entire length, Weeping Silence combine influences to lead to heavier guitar parts that are sharp and fast enough for the genre. “Love Lies Bleeding” is a perfect example of what the Maltese propose, an archetype of musical combinations in which they operate, and this always with ease and talent. The chorus, moreover, is heady, a point that deserves further deepening. But it’s not the primary purpose of the group, catchy melodies and pop keys, not for them. Everything is played in the mood, and the homogeneity of these atmospheres weaves a common thread. It’s really hard not to be impregnate the entire length, despite the slight vacuum passages. The climax is reached on the excellent “My Possession”, which, always, in this class so typical of doom combines shadows (guitar, keyboard, growls of Joseph Grech) and light (vocals, versatile keyboard, the force of the talented Alison Ellul).

    Thus, we feel therefore in “For The Unsung”a real tribute to the roots of doom/gothic, while having the willingness to bring a personal touch. And although it remains some imperfections, there is a serious step progress there. However, the group will have to recover from the departure of their singer Rachel Grech after more than ten years of loyal service in Weeping Silence. But do not panic: given the talent of the musicians and the quality of this cake, it is very likely that the next generation, in the name of Diane Camenzuli should be brilliant. We are thus faced with a combo very promising and mature, which could take the lead of the platoon of a style increasingly abandoned. And this is all we wish them!

    Highlight: Love Lies Bleeding, The Search Within, My Possession