Silent Planet in Concert
Forget any talk about rock 'n' roll being dead — the future of heavy music is in very good hands thanks to bands such as Silent Planet. Formed in 2009, the California-based Christian post-hardcore act is known for unleashing bursts of metalcore-tinged aggression built around wind machine-strong sonic roars, galloping guitar riffs, and dramatic electronic programming. Vocalist Garrett Russell adds to the furious fray with howling lead vocals that alternate between clean and unclean tones; his voice seamlessly veers between ominous growls, rapid-fire speak-singing, and throat-shredding screams. Accordingly, Silent Planet's live shows feed off this energy; the line between audience and stage frequently dissipates as Russell and fans cathartically shout lines together in unison.
The frontman launched Silent Planet while attending college. An English and philosophy major, he and his then-bandmates named the group after the C.S. Lewis book ‘Out of the Silent Planet,' and they hit the ground running. In fact, the band members were still in school when they recorded their debut EP, 'Come Wind, Come Weather,' with producer Matt Goldman, known for his work with Underoath and the Chariot. A tour with kindred sonic spirits Becoming the Archetype — as well as a slot on the 2013 Scream the Prayer tour alongside Wolves at the Gate, Fit for a King, and Everyone Dies in Utah — soon followed.
All of this hard work paid off in the form of a record deal with Solid State Records, who issued Silent Planet's 2014 debut full-length, the pulverizing 'The Night God Slept.' Yet in a nod to their penchant for uncommonly thoughtful lyrics, the band also issued an EP, 2014's 'lastsleep (1944–1946),' which memorializes the lives of three women who lived in the World War II era. That EP is also notable for its introspective, post-rock-indebted instrumentals, which show off Silent Planet's range and dynamics — two things also evident on 2018's 'When the End Began,' an album that nods to gnarled technical metal and cathartic screams. Appropriately, the band teamed up with Stray From the Path in fall 2018 for a pulverizing cross-country tour.
