SILVERDOMES – Teeth Grinder
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Winter nights are notoriously long in the northern regions, possibly contributing to the disproportionate number of musicians per capita in this particular locale. Hailing from Tampere, a southern Finnish city enduring, at the time of me typing this review, a chilly -21 °C, Silverdomes is a band that seems to mirror the unhurried pace of their surroundings. The group's compositions often demand patience as they gradually gather momentum, eventually culminating in a cathartic explosion. Their second EP Teeth Grinder, released in late 2023, arrives a year and a half after their debut EP. During this interval, the quartet meticulously refined their musical style, which they somewhat ambiguously label as "low metal". Drawing inspiration from a spectrum of genres including drone metal, progressive post-rock and noisy post-punk, Silverdomes openly cites influences from bands like Jesus Lizard and Slint, offering a glimpse into the sonic landscape to be explored. Opening with the six-minute track Fruity Undertones, the band crafts a stark exercise in repetitive, slow-moving bass lines, hypnotic yet subdued drumming, and reserved guitar work. The vocals seamlessly integrate into this minimalist piece, hinting at an underlying tension. Towards the conclusion, the musicians unleash a torrent of sound, featuring a free jazz saxophone that adds an extra layer of noise. The subsequent Return To Sender maintains a similar length but introduces a catchy chorus. Despite its persistent darkness, the song exudes a slightly jauntier quality, which might be considered an odd descriptor in the context of Silverdomes. The EP's second half begins with Corporate Wife, a four-minute burst of pure noise rock enriched with peculiar spoken word samples reminiscent of ancient science fiction films. Concluding the EP is the seven-minute Czech Hedgehogs, a languid post noise rock showcase that resonates with aficionados of the somber tones prevalent in early nineties noise rock. Notably, the rattling snare drum during the initial part of the song adds a distinctive touch. Drawing parallels to Morphine, Fugazi and perhaps a hint of The God Machine, Silverdomes evokes a nostalgic nod to the musical landscape of the nineties. While Teeth Grinder may not revolutionize any particular genre, it adeptly amalgamates various influences into a highly palatable whole. Awarding it an initial score of 8 points, the potential for a higher rating emerges if Silverdomes sustains this level of quality across a full-length album. |
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4 songs |
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23:22 minutes |
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***** *** |
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Genre: post rock / noise / post punk (self-released) |
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