Silence - The Countdown’s Begun

Silence -The Countdown’s Begun Out April 20th, 2019 The Countdown’s Begun is a peace punk record about endings. Simultaneously anthemic and ominous, its songs are situated squarely in the contemporary political moment without being excessively topical. The lyrics deal with climate change, gentrification, toxic masculinity, and the threat of nuclear war, but mostly through the lens of the personal alienation experienced by people living through these dark times rather than as a political tirade. It is a warning, and it is a meditation on what we’ve lost. Mourning without accepting defeat, it is also a battle cry. The Countdown’s Begun was recorded during a blizzard at the end of 2018 in America, and that’s what it sounds like. It is a soundtrack for this bleak era. This is the second LP from Pittsburgh’s Silence, following up on 2016’s The Deafening Sound of Absolutely Nothing (Profane Existence), and it reflects a band that has matured considerably in their songwriting. The record incorporates a much broader range of influences into their post-punk meets peace punk style. Apparent on this LP are melodic sounds derived from the likes of Billy Bragg and the Jam, aggressive riffs and gang vocals that invoke Conflict and the Sex Pistols, and more angular and dark elements reminiscent of Xmal Deutschland, early New Order, and Gang of Four.  They’ve been called dark punk, peace punk, anarcho-punk, goth punk and post-punk, but whatever you call them, Silence is equally at home playing a punk show in a smoky dive bar or basement with hardcore punk bands, or at a goth show under colored lights and fog machines. Digital version available here. Silence: Dusty Hanna--Vocals Damon Di Cicco--Guitar Ryn Kaz--Bass/vocals Justin “Punky” Bowen--Drums Piano on “Ghost of Bakunin” by Greg Murray Guest vocals by Erica Scary, Aaron Grey, Matt Ussia, Greg Murray, & Clint Benjamin The Countdown’s Begun (Play Alone Records/Profane Existence, 2019)   Soundtrack to the Picture of the Same Name by Silence Lyrics: Soundtrack to The Picture of The Same Name Why in movies do actors always say “that’s interesting?” Are actors only interested when in the cinematic setting? Where the detective floats through the dark of an alley Past assorted underworld personalities Entering the inescapable possibility that you are and I would board the same train In lieu of responsibility we decide to play the blame game Soundtrack to the picture of the same name We chalk it up to coincidence And life just being like that sometimes I guess Ever seem some props are out of place and don’t make sense? I know it sounds crazy but I think it’s me behind the lens I think I think that something’s wrong Maybe I’m dead and my mind’s still hanging on How could that be? Well you see, that depends I’ve seen the movie but can't remember how it ends The inescapable possibility of you and I boarding the same train In lieu of responsibility we decide to play the blame game Soundtrack to the picture of the same name The devil and I were down on Berkowitz and Vine We took a glimpse inside the city’s artificial mind Inside the minds that think, inside the hearts that love Into engines of oppression, greased by human blood We gazed into the abattoir as beasts suffered in pain We heard the soundtrack to the picture of the same name It was a different time, a different place in those days back then When we werewolves living in the world of men The inescapable possibility that you and I could board the same train In lieu of responsibility we decide to play the blame game Soundtrack to the picture of the same name Tarzan’s son and I were swinging from a vine We took a glimpse inside the jungle’s psychotropic mind Vacation time, he asked the missus “what’s the verdict?” Slam dancing at the Idlewood, sunbathing in the arctic? Without her makeup though, he could no longer see her Her ghost was a reflection of life in the urban arena The soundtrack is the sound of an atomic bomb And a scream into the wind, “where has everybody gone?” The inescapable possibility that you and I would board the same train In lieu of responsibility we decide to play the blame game Soundtrack to the picture of the same name   Photo by Em DeMarco Photo by Romero Cervantes All songs by Silence Recorded by My War Matt Mastered by Mammoth Sound Mastering Cover illustration by Chris Smith Layout by Aaron Grey Back cover photo by Em Demarco Silence logo by Chris Smith Clock drawing by Shannon Thompson Similar Peace Punk Bands: Flux of Pink Indians, The Mob, Subhumans, & Zounds Check out our other releases here.