Burn In Silence

Angel Maker (Prosthetic)
by Eric Chon

Okay, really now, how many more metalcore bands is Massachusetts going to produce? Isn’t the genre a little tapped out? I mean, even Trivium is trying to become a Bay Area thrash band now. But hey, lack of originality has never stopped bands before, and Burn In Silence is no exception. Everything from the metalcore kit is here: A mixture of clean and screaming vocals, chugga-chugga breakdowns, and In Flames rip-off riffs.

But Burn In Silence add something unique to this well-known and well-worn formula: Symphonic keyboards. Yeah, it’s actually a little bizarre. And while they certainly add a new dimension to the sound, for the most part, I have to say they don’t work it to its full potential. Mixing it in with macho, meathead rhythmic metal just makes for an odd listening experience.

Despite how tired I am of metalcore, Burn In Silence’s Angel Maker is a fairly accomplished genre album. They certainly know how to play their instruments and can craft a catchy song. But it’s done before, and done to death. Even with the added atmospheric keyboards, the sound remains stale at its core (no pun intended). There’s talent here, and let’s hope with their next album, they’ll look beyond their mere equals for inspiration.
(www.prostheticrecords.com)