The Silver - Ward of Roses (2021) Hi-Res

For better and worse, I am a persistent bastard, so I best stay out of Phil Anselmo’s way. When I laid ears on advance track “Fallow,” from The Silver‘s debut album Ward of Roses, I knew I had to have it. It took some extra badgering to snare promo, which the band thankfully provided. Boasting a line-up of Horrendous brothers Jamie and Matt Knox, along with Crypt Sermon‘s Enrique Sagarnaga, and vocalist Nick Duchemin, The Silver is a side project destined to carve their own path. Ward of Roses is anything but straightforward and is difficult to pin down stylistically. Elements of black, doom, atmospheric post-metal, prog and goth rock intertmingle with impressive cohesion and colorful writing dynamics. Fear not, however, as any notion of Ward of Roses being bogged down in gothic romanticism is swiftly beheaded by the ample dosing of blackened extremity, scything riffs, harrowing vocals, and dense blasts. Ward of Roses certainly has a strong melodic bent, balanced by harsher musical and vocal components, yet there is a violent edge and heaving emotional weight behind the collection.

The aforementioned “Fallow” made an immediate impact and is an early standout, boasting a fine example of the multifaceted and emotive sound The Silver are going for. “Fallow” takes the listener on a gripping journey through bleak atmospheres, glistening melodies, fat basslines, and biting black metal, showcasing the album’s excellent drumming and dramatic dual vocal performance. Before we move on, addressing the vocal dynamic is imperative. The mix of Duchemin’s tortured howls and anguished screams, coupled with Matt Knox’s impressively assured, though potentially divisive goth-tinged cleans, offer an appealing dynamic. I am generally on board with both variations, bar some less advised vocal chants/spoken word, but I can imagine others being less enamored. In some ways the vocal dynamic reminds me of the last Atlas Moth LP, a superb album with a vocal approach that divided our readership. In particular, Duchemin’s pained eruptions possess the potential to grate. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

The collective experience, and dedication to the project’s intricate construction, results in an accomplished debut with far more strengths than weaknesses. “Breathe” builds ominously, a hypnotizing rhythmic flow, layered vocals, and probing bass and guitar parts exude whispered menace, before transitioning into affecting clean vocals and torrents of blasts, angular abrasive riffs and seething aggression. Rather than stumble towards its conclusion, Ward of Roses features a strong backend. Late album highlights arrive in the form of anxiety-driven tension, explosive dynamics, and soaring vocals on “Behold, Five Judges.” Bleak closer “Then Silence…” combines layered vocals and a beguiling melodic undertow, with explosive, percussive driven extreme passages to powerful effect. The songwriting and dense arrangements have a progressive flow, eschewing traditional song structures while deftly marrying their buzzing aggression and strained anguish with tight execution and sleek instrumental chops – the rhythm, section proving especially formidable.

Whereas certain songs hit with immediacy, peeling away layers listen by listen was one of the important elements towards full immersion. In the grand scheme of things, Ward of Roses has the odd stumble or fault, but no major flaws. A section in the ambitious, if slightly overcooked doom-laden epic “Vapor,” features a sparsely backed and divisive harsh vocal segment, straddling the line between cartoonish theatrics and a painful medical procedure. Meanwhile, the aggressive, propulsive edge of “The Gatekeeper” is marginally tarnished by the gothy melodrama of Knox’s semi-spoken vocal. Otherwise, the album is a consistently engaging and often gripping listen. Paul Romano’s apt and striking cover art, and pristine, dynamic recording, with Damian Herring (Horrendous) working wonders in the mixing and mastering departments, consolidate a slick overall package.

The Silver‘s Ward of Roses continues a year in which I have reveled in exploring a wide palette of genres likely to inform an eclectic end-of-year assessment. Time will tell if Ward of Roses will factor into final equations. Regardless, The Silver crafted an inventive creation, brimming with confidence and a desire to push boundaries and stand out from the pack. Despite some minor qualms, Ward of Roses is a remarkably assured debut, traversing turbulent dimensions of horror, anguish, beauty and soul-searching despair, a crisp hybridization of barbed extremity, gothic drama, and enigmatic melodies well worth investing in.