Silent Planet

Lastsleep (1944-46) EP

Written by: MBC on 02/07/2014 01:01:01

LA-based sextet Silent Planet released its second EP “Lastsleep (1944-46)” earlier this year. It is a beautiful, short but sweet experience of five tracks, of which two are ambient and instrumental. According to the band, it functions as part of their upcoming full length which will continue the theme from the EP. The band has a strong belief in Christ and has sought to create a lyrical narrative seen from a feminist-Christian perspective. This theme is a collection of stories from World War II from the perspectives of three different women facing atrocities and hardship during the war, which they would overcome by continuing to have faith and believing in love over evil. The stories take place at three different times in three different parts of the world, but all feature strong female protagonists dealing with loss in some form.

The three tracks that contain vocals on the EP are the ones that tell the stories of these women and the other two are the ambient tracks between these songs. The two ambient tracks entitled “From Tides” and “To Caves” clearly serve the purpose of dividing these three stories as well as building up a calm and soothing, yet dark atmosphere between the explosive bursts of aggression that is the songs “Tiny Hands (Au Revoir)”, “Darkstrand (Hibakusha)” and “Wasteland (Vechnost)”.

Vocalist Garrett Russell delivers a raw and powerful performance of a desperate, high pitched scream which hovers above the frantic djent-like and yet melancholic guitars. He screams with a seldom heard passion and he clearly feels strongly about getting the band’s message across. Here is an excerpt from “Tiny Hands (Au Revoir)”: ”My heart burns cold as life leaves my daughter's eyes. I am the mother of the dying, the dust, the denouement. How can absence take my father's house? How can nothing take my daughter's life? Walk me out from this tomb.” These are strong, dark lyrics which fit perfectly with the atmosphere created musically by the band and delivered through Russell’s voice they tell disturbing tales of the horrors of war.

"Lastsleep (1944-46)" is an impressive EP that has me wanting more from the band and I am certainly looking forward to the release of their full length. The only thing that is unfortunate here is the amount of material and only three actual songs does feel a little unsatisfactory. However, when the material is as good as this, it is acceptable.

Download: Tiny Hands (Au Revoir), Darkstrand (Hibakusha), Wasteland (Vechnost)
For the fans of: Oh Sleeper, UnderOath, Architects, A Plea For Purging
Listen: Facebook

Release date 02.01.2014
Self-released

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