Band: 156/Silence
Album: Irrational Pull
Label: Self Release
Genre: Metalcore
Whenever I think of metalcore I'm reminded of the time when my music library consisted of a lot of Norma Jean and Poison the Well. While my personal music taste may change over time, I still find myself gravitate back to those feedback-ridden, blast beat drenched records. Pittsburgh band 156/Silence may very well make into that part of my library with this release.
Irrational Pull is the perfect cocktail of metallic hardcore tunes you could ever wish to jam out to. The tempo varies from a fairly rapid pace (see "Upset, Unfed") to the slow and heavy riffs that the genre became most well know for (see "Problem Addict"). There are also breakdowns aplenty scattered throughout the tracks, along with crowd riling choruses that front-man Jack Murray screams out with the very best of them.
The record has 10 songs on it, each of them dealing with personal struggle, loss and addiction. I, personally, struggled with what it most reminded me of on a lyrical basis, and I finally landed on the debut record from post-hardcore legends La Dispute. While the content may be where the comparisons stop between those two, Irrational Pull is awesome in the fact that it manages to cover a wide scope of problems, making this an ultra-emotional record. Check out the video for the title track, "Irrational Pull," below!
The record ends with the aptly named "Denouement." The definition of the word is the final part in a play where all pieces are drawn together for a conclusion, and it truly feels that way as the song fades out. This is not a band you'll want to brush aside. They have energy and talent, and in my opinion are one of the most exciting groups I've heard in this spectrum in some time.
I'm giving Irrational Pull a 8.5/10