Back in 2012, when I was still reviewing music on the regular, I received an advance copy of Mind Games, the second album by British metallers Silent Descent. I was immediately taken by their “trance-metal”: brash, heavy, immediate, high-energy, melodic, and bombastic. “Coke Stars” and “Brick” became favourite tracks, and have been on my everyday playlist ever since. Their sound is huge and seemed perfect for huge venues, but I have no idea how popular they actually are.

During a peripatetic few years post-college, I lost track of many things, including what many of my favourite bands were up to. The band’s latest album, Turn to Grey was released in 2017, and I was only made aware of it after YouTube recommended the video for “Vortex” — probably because it features Björn Strid of Soilwork, one of my all-time favourite bands. I hit play immediately, and then promptly bought the album. It’s been on heavy rotation ever since. Turn to Grey sounds immediately like Silent Descent, but also shows a band that has continued to grow and improve their songwriting and musicianship. Just all-round a fantastic level-up. The song “Rob Rodda” is an absolute banger.

So, really, today I’m just recommending that all CR readers who are also fans of metal give Silent Descent a listen. If you’re a fan of bands like Soilwork, In Flames, The Halo Effect, then I’d definitely recommend you check them out. 🤘 Continue reading →