Just in time for the release of their new record Dead Reflection, we’re teaming up with melodic, rock infused post hardcore band SILVERSTEIN to give you a brief interview and an exclusive insight on their new offering, touring, and more! Scroll down to read the full interview!
Dead Reflection doesn’t just push Silverstein‘s instrumental skill to the brink, the album also finds vocalist, Shane Told, delving into his personal life to a greater extent than ever before. The tumultuous end of a long relationship sent Told into a self-destructive spiral that left him isolated and forced to confront his own identity. As Told questioned everything he thought he knew about himself, there was one anchor to save him: the band he’d given everything to. Dead Reflection would come to be shaped by these intense times and the album’s dark tone is undeniable, but underneath it all there is the sense of hope within the hurt that has always marked Silverstein‘s work.
SILVERSTEIN have wasted no time in getting back to their rigorous touring scheduling to support Dead Reflection. The band will be touring the world throughout 2017 and beyond, including performing on the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour in North America and a lengthy run of European and UK shows. See full itinerary at the bottom of this article.
Hi guys! Thanks for joining us here on IDIOTEQ! I remember listening to to SILVERSTEIN back in early 00’s and it’s really amazing how you manged to stay both powerful and refreshingly catchy. How is making music different for you guys now compared to when you were starting out 17/18 years ago?
We’re actually better musicians than when we started. We were just teenagers when we started this band, and we never thought we would be making music as a career. Over the years we have learned a lot about songwriting, recording, and how to put together an album. Even though we’ve made a lot of albums, it’s still incredibly difficult and we’re very self-critical in the studio.
How do you keep from burning out?
We always try to have fun, and not take ourselves too seriously. We also switch up our schedule enough so everything feels fresh but familiar.
With your lyrics having been both therapeutic and inspirational, how did you approach the lyrical content this time? What is the narrative of ‘Dead Reflection’?
Shane, our vocalist, dove deeper into himself to make a more personal record than we ever have. He focused on the last 12 months of his life. It was a hard time for him, and we came together to support that message throughout the music.
What mindset were you in when you were writing these tracks?
We had just completed 24 months of touring around the globe and were back home resting. We had a brief time to write / record everything so there was always a tough deadline looming around us. However, this inspired us to work hard and efficiently to get everything done.
Musically, are there some musical touchstones you’re listening to, that served as inspiration for your new tracks?
We don’t tend to listen to much other music while writing a record. That can influence your decisions, or cloud your judgement. It’s better to be consumed with the music we’re writing and not someone else’s.
As mentioned, you brought A LOT of touring to promote this effort. Compared to the older days, how has being on the road changed for you guys?
Touring has always been a priority for us and it fills a majority of our time. It allows us to connect with fans, and most importantly, it helps promote our music.
How do you keep the good spirits up while being on the road?
You need to balance your schedule – make time for yourself, interact the fans and make sure you’re in the best shape to perform.
What are your favorite places to play outside of North America?
We all really enjoy Europe. So many bands from North America say they don’t like touring over there, but we really do. There’s a lot of culture, each country is completely different, and there’s a real passion for music.
Apart from touring, do you have some sort of surprises in store for late 2017 / early 2018? What are your plans for this coming Winter and beyond?
Just releasing the new album, a ton of touring- and we’ll always be dropping some surprises along the way!
Great, thanks so much for your time guys! Feel free to drop your final words and take care! Cheers from Poland!
Hopefully we can return to Poland again soon, we’ve always loved playing there! Thanks!
SILVERSTEIN on tour:
07/11 Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater *
07/12 Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center *
07/13 Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake PAC *
07/14 Burgettstown, PA @ Keybank Pavilion *
07/15 Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center *
07/16 Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion *
07/18 Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center *
07/19 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center *
07/20 Noblesville, IN @ Klipsch Music Center *
07/21 Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills *
07/22 Tinley Park, IL @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater *
07/23 Shakopee, MN @ Canterbury Park *
07/24 Milwaukee, WI @ Henry Maier Festival Park *
07/26 Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre *
07/27 Bonner Springs, KS @ Providence Medical Center Amphitheater *
07/28 Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion *
07/29 San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center *
07/30 Houston, TX @ NRG Park *
08/01 Las Cruces, NM @ New Mexico State University Intramural Field *
08/04 Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre *
08/05 San Diego, CA @ Qualcomm Stadium *
08/06 Pomona, CA @ Fairplex Pomona *
09/15 St. Catharines, ON @ Warehouse
09/16 Kitchener, ON @ Maxwell’s
09/29 Köln, DE @ Gebäude 9 ^
09/30 Münster, DE @ Gleis 22 ^
10/01 Bremen, DE @ Tower ^
10/02 Hamburg, DE @ Logo ^
10/04 Hannover, DE @ Chez Heinz ^
10/05 Berlin, DE @ Cassiopeia ^
10/06 Leipzig, DE @ Naumanns ^
10/07 Dresden, DE @ Puschkin ^
10/08 Dortmund, DE @ FZW ^
10/10 Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof ^
10/11 Trier, DE @ Mergener Hof ^
10/12 Würzburg, DE @ Café Cairo ^
10/13 Erlangen, DE @ E-Werk ^
10/14 München, DE @ Kranhalle ^
11/01 Kingston, ON @ The Mansion %
11/02 Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe %
11/03 Quebec City, QC @ Le Cercle %
11/04 Ottawa, ON @ Brass Monkey %
11/07 Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre #
11/08 Saskatoon, SK @ Louis #
11/09 Edmonton, AB @ The Needle #
11/11 Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw #
11/16 Calgary, AB @ Marquee #
11/17 Regina, SK @ The Exchange #
11/23 Hamilton, ON @ Club Absinthe #
11/24 Oshawa, ON @ The Music Hall #
11/25 London, ON @ London Music Hall #
12/08 Southampton, UK @ Talking Heads
12/09 Brighton, UK @ The Haunt
12/10 Cardiff, UK @ The Globe
12/12 Glasgow, UK @ G2
12/13 Newcastle, UK @ Think Tank
12/14 Manchester, UK @ Sound Control
12/15 Huddersfield, UK @ The Parish
12/16 London, UK @ Garage* Vans Warped Tour
^ w/ Trash Boat
# w/ Seaway, Creeper
% w/ Like Pacific ^
More about the band:
Longevity is a rare feat for any band, especially one rooted in a foundation of punk and hardcore. Aggressive music is often fueled by youthful fire, and sustaining a career without completely abandoning that urgent sound is almost impossible for most bands. But what’s possible for “most bands” has never been a concern for post-hardcore pioneers Silverstein. Throughout the course of their 17-year career, from Ontario basement shows to touring the world and selling over a million records, Silverstein has always managed to be completely comfortable in their own skin while never being afraid to challenge themselves. This perfect balance marks the band’s eighth full-length, Dead Reflection—a
n album that proves Silverstein still has plenty of fire left. Silverstein have released an album every odd year since their 2003 debut, When Broken Is Easily Fixed, and that drive is paramount to why the band remains one of post-hardcore’s most relevant and influential acts. This consistency shows an uncommonly clear path of growth from album to album as the band honed the aggressive-to-melodic contrast that became their signature sound. Dead Reflection marks a sharp jump in that evolution: the band pushed themselves harder than ever before, resulting in an album the takes all of Silverstein‘s strengths—pummeling riffs, explosive dynamic shifts, and huge, anthemic choruses—and ramps up the intensity. Guitarist Paul Marc Rousseau co-produced Dead Reflection
with Derek Hoffman, leading to a level of collaboration with which band had never experimented before. After years of creating and touring, the members of Silverstein have each become accomplished musicians in their own right while still summoning the same unbridled ferocity that marked the band’s early days, and it’s this fusion that makes Dead Reflection feel so vital. Vocalist Shane Told has always been a master of taking his darkest times and channeling them into compelling songwriting, and Dead Reflection ups the ante as the singer documents his most troubled year. The tumultuous end of a long relationship sent Told into a self-destructive spiral that left him isolated and forced to confront who he truly was with everything stripped away. All of the positivity that had previously come so easily suddenly felt put-on, like a costume that never quite fit, and as the people closest to him were all entering new phases of life with new responsibilities, the singer found himself feeling more alone and nihilistic than ever. In the end it was Silverstein, the one constant in Told’s life, that brought him back from the brink. With the prospect of writing a new album on the horizon, he thew himself into the process, fully exploring the bleak narrative he was living out. Dead Reflection became a sort of “What-if?” version of Told’s life, a cautionary tale urging listeners to find out what really matters and challenge their own masks before it’s too late. Writing proved to be as cathartic as it was harrowing, and slowly Told began to feel the weight of the past year lifting; Silverstein had been there for him just when he needed it most.
Dead Reflection is an album that couldn’t exist without everything that’s come before it, a culmination not just of Silverstein‘s sonic growth, but also the personal journeys entangled in the band’s career. Longevity was never the objective, but that drive to deliver their absolute best, no matter what the cost, is exactly why the band remains at the top of their game after almost two decades. For Silverstein there is no settling, no stopping, and they give nothing less than everything.
