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Silent Resistance

Silent Resistance is a five member band from Leicester, playing hard rock, metal. They were our Band of the Month in July 2010. In this revised page, we review their latest album and some of their recent performances. The original material from the band of the month page has been retained.

About Silent Resistance | Interview | Silent Resistance live | Silent Resistance on Myspace

A Thousand Voices

Trevor Locke reviews the latest album by Silent Resistance.

Released by Casket (Copro Records) in 2011 and distributed by Plastic Head, the album has seven tracks mixed by Ian Boult in Nottingham. An exceptionally well produced CD that includes a cover sleeve booklet with the lyrics from the songs.

The first track begins with a mood-setting prelude evoking mystery and drama and somewhat reminiscent of the famous tune from Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra made famous in Kubric's: 2001: A Space Odyssey, well so I thought. Lots of minor key samples and eerie effects leading into the first thumping chords.

The prelude leads straight into the first song Death Stare. Ryan comes in with a long hair-raising scream before getting into the lyrics, accentuated by massive high guitar lines. It's high rock, dramatic and theatrical, musical ideas on a large scale. This is where you hear the reprise 'His last gasp of air/ leads to the death stare', shouted by Ryan over the ominous backing. It's a dark and troubling song about murder, shot through with foreboding"Feeling alone in my troubled world/ I sense that the end is near'. Danny rattles out some machine-gun phrases from the drums.

In track two, The Game, the lyrics move into a more personal mode, where the protagonist is addressing a girl 'Prostitute in a fairy tale' but ends with the apocalyptic statement 'And when the world comes crashing down/ Lights out'

Track three, Make of Break contains

Get on Down The broken town
The stale stench of our repetition
It's not too late to change

one of the most memorable refrains of the set. S|R is a band that lets you go home with a set of memorable sounds rattling around in your head.

Track four, Silent Resistance begins with the band's characteristic staccato phrases and stabbing chords from the strings introducing the vocals. This is one of the songs you will hear the band play at their live gigs. A low key guitar intro leads into the vocal line. The introductory lyrics then explode into the iconic verse that bears the name of the band:

I'm gonna ask you a question
You wanna rise through the ashes
Burn the gears of the system
We are the silent Resistance

So you hear echoes of the lyrics that were beloved of the early nu-metal bands, ideas about counter-culture, viewing society as an oppressive machine and how people can rise to struggle against its tyranny. This is where the cultural roots of this sub-genre lie.

Track four, Demons begins with a reflective series of statements that mediate on the themes of previous tracks. Ryan sings images of a nightmare and being in a war. You can hear the great distorted bass-riffs pounding in the background which are so characteristic of this style of metal. Ok, it's programmatic, in fact, to my ear, its operatic. It's precisely this sense of scale and drama that drew me into the aggro-metal of the early 2000s, after having spent the previous 20 years listening to modern classical music and opera.

Track five, Echoes continues the story 'Tonight the city it is alive/ with a thousand voices'. It's quite contemporary really, given what we have seen seeing in Libya recently. So, yea, a good time to be reading these lyrics. Ryan sings 'We're taking over this world' and concludes with 'Now the tide is rising back', so if you think this stuff is old hat just remember the recent newsreels from the Middle East!

What I love most about this band's music is their rolling bass lines and razor-sharp guitar riffs that punch out staccato phrases underlining memorable melodic vocals; this reminds me of the nu-metal sounds I was listening to during the rise of bands like Linkin Park (Hybrid Theory, 2002 and Meteora, 2003), Boy Hits Car (2001), Staind (Break The Cycle, 2001) and System of a Down (Toxicity, 2001) with elements of Rage Against the Machine and Limp Bizkit. I have all of these in my collection so I played them after listening to the S|R album, just for fun, a kind of private celebration of the music that started my involvement in rock music.

I am very happy to add this album to my back catalogue where it deserves a slot with the other albums that have meant so much to me.

So, their work is not original; it's backward looking to an age of nu-metal that has passed. What makes them stand out is their commitment to evoking this great golden age of modern metal that changed the face of rock for so many fans in the early 'naughties', me included. But though its popularity might have passed, there are still several bands, S|R included alongside Martyr De Mona and Primal Device and several local bands that are keeping the style alive, if not fuelling a renaissance.

As I have said, suddenly these lyrics seem far from outmoded in today's world. I muse that I can see this set of songs being turned into a rock opera set in the Libya of February 2011.

Silent Resistance live

A Thousand Voices was launched by the band it's show at the Leicester SoundHouse on Sunday 20th March.

The support included a line-up of bands: the mesmerising technical wizardry of Edict of Bedlam, the exceptionally fizzing performance by visiting pop-hardcore Norwich band Depth, energetic and brutal sounds from Manchester's Incidium and local student band Polaris who played their debut only a couple of days before.

Despite this varied and prestigious line-up, S|R brought the night to a resounding conclusion, playing songs from their album. On stage, this band is very watchable, they have a stage presence that ticks all the boxes. Each member of the band puts on an individual performance and collectively they act the songs, bringing them to life on the stage.

It was a memorable show and well worth adding to the list of notable gigs in 2011.

Not the first time we have seen S|R; on 9th January 2010 they appeared at Sumo and our reviewer wrote: ' There was such altruism to the way they played, and the energy they created was incredible. Hard to believe it was only their third ever gig' after saying earlier ' A sense of triumph descended upon these guys as the set got underway, and with an electrifying yelp of liberty from front man Ryan, who's calm and unassuming demeanour offstage belies the extraordinary impact of his mighty sound - all consuming, all knowing and with the confidence of a veteran classic rocker; the audience truly came to life when these guys hit the stage.'

The band played at the OBS on 9th April 2010 and in our review we said: ' Ryan's intense vocals delivered sustained screams and deep throated roars to the thumping backlines from Jai and Alex on guitars, red Dan on the bass and Danny on the drums. Massive sounds, head banging beats and great rolling walls of well pedaled guitars produced a set of electrifying metal songs, bringing an totally gratifying night of live music to an exhilarating finale.'

Having failed to win the OBS heat on the 9th, the band performed at the OBS call-back heat on 17th April 2010 and our review noted that people who were not metal fans commented 'they were impressed by the technical sharpness of this band and blaze of fireworks erupting from the stage.' They failed to get through to the finals, being upstaged by indie band Raptor Captor.

Reviewing a performance on 22nd August 2010, at the SoundHouse, we wrote: 'Ryan Tailor (lead vocalist) began by shouting " We are Silent Resistance - come forward" and yes it did work. Ryan is more than just a vocalist - he's a performer and like all good performers, he needs a crowd' and ' It's high-octane music that crashes into the room like a perfect storm.'

When they appeared at Sumo on 2nd October 2010 we said: ' Lots of head banging, hair shaking sounds and pounding drum beats were counterpoised with softer, melodic passages which lulled the audience before bursting into ear-bleeding screams. It was rock music on a Wagnerian scale.'

Today S|R is one of Leicester's outstanding rock bands with a record of inspiring live performances behind them and now an album of which they can be justly proud.

You can see Silent Resistance live at the Shed on April 2nd 2011 when they have another go at the OBS and again at the Soundhouse on May 13th.

About Silent Resistance

Ryan Tailor

Ryan Tailor, 22 - Vocals
Jai Flannery, 23 - Guitar
Alex Roddis, 25 - Guitar
Dan Slipper, 24 - Bass/Vocals
Danny Lodge, 23 - Drums

It began with drummer Danny and guitarist Jai making music together as teenagers and even did there first gig together as a two piece with no bass or vocals!

Eventually the need for fellow musicians to create a band saw them place a few ads on a 'find a band' style web site and after a while they snagged up guitarist Alex and bassist Slipper to begin writing music as a four piece under the name 'Inspired by Lies', while throughout the next few years between practices, auditioned several singers in the hopes of completing the line-up.

Finally, in September 2009, vocalist Ryan Tailor was found on a 'musicians wanted' web site and was brought in to jam with the band. The group clicked instantly and Ryan was recruited to complete the line-up along with a name change to 'Silent Resistance'.

The band had their first gig in November 2009 at a Leicester University campus and received a great crowd response. That's when they knew they were onto something special.

Cut to July 2010 and the band have achieved so much in such a short space of time including: supporting top UK metal act 'Glamour of the Kill', receiving radio airplay of their first demo around the country on several stations, being a front page story on BBC Leicester web site and most recently, playing their first festival at Glastonbudget 10. However, S|R are most proud of the positive feedback we get from people after a show, and always seem to gain new fans each time they play! Belter!

We interview Silent Resistance:

Artsin: What made you select the style of music you now play?  What do you call that style of music?

S|R: Well the five of us are all heavily influenced by the nu-metal/rock scene of the late 90s/early 2000s which we consider to be the most exciting and influential era of modern rock music (so far!) ...

Artsin: I agree!

S|R: ... and although we didn't chose one particular style or direction to go in, I think a lot of our tunes give a nod to that era and attitude of music.  Hmmm, We actually find our style pretty tough to label. We've integrated different aspects hard rock/melodic metal/nu-metal and even a bit of classic rock into our sound so we just leave it to the people to decide what we are.

Artsin: Does the band have a following?

S|R: We hope so!! We've steadily gained a pretty loyal fan base and always manage to win over a few new faces at our shows. We do have a few 'die hard' resistance fans with a special mention to our very own super fan and super stalker - much love to James (SS) and Jade (SF), who have practically been to all our gigs between them and have supported the band every step of the way!

Artsin: How do you build up a fan base?  What things do you do to achieve that?

S|R: Well of course we do the standard Facebook & Myspace but we also use other more local means to promote so that we are advertising to the right people. This can include 'Pineapster' - A Leicester music web community, The Leicester Mercury Paper - we have been mentioned several times and will even have a bit about the band in next Thursday's Mercury! We also leave posters, flyers, stickers and badges around Leicester music venues and rehearsal rooms to target local musicians and create a bit of a network between Leicester bands that will be beneficial to everyone. Were also starting a mailing list so we can update people directly about the band. And last but not least - our vast selection of S|R merchandise! haha! We've actually sold a load of tee's - a great gift for you loved ones!

Artsin: Did the band play at this year's Glastonbudget festival?

S|R: We did indeed! It was our first glastonbudget and our first festival ever!

Artsin:   How did it go?

S|R: We had a great weekend full of music and beer and we got a pretty good crowd too! There was some slight technical issues but all in all it was a successful show.  Think you managed to catch a bit of us didn't you Trev?

Artsin: I think I did.   What's the best thing about the Glastonbudget festival?

Ryan: The toilets! Cleanest festival toilets we've ever seen! Oh, and there was some music on as well I believe.
Lodge: It was our first taste of what its like to be apart of peoples festival experience and we got some great exposure from it too.

Artsin:  What's the worst thing about the festival?

S|R: The sound was a bit shoddy for the smaller stages, and the sound bloke clearly didn't care bout the bands or what kind of sound they were after. Its obviously hard to please everyone but when you come on stage and there's a 10 watt practice amp on there, you know your in for some rough sound -luckily we used our own amps though! Lodge: And don't get me started on the dancing drum kit, it just wouldn't stay still!

Artsin:   Which venues have you played in Leicester?

S|R: Ooooo all over! Our fist ever gig was at Leic Uni halls back in November 09, and since then we've tried to play as many new places as possible! We've covered all the city favourites including Sumo, The Musician, The Shed, Walkabout, and a few pubs too. We will also be playing The Auditorium for the first time on July 10th along with 40+ bands at the 'We Are Leicester' all day festival.

Artsin:   Which one do you like best?

S|R: Our favourite is Sumo because its a good size, good sound, cheap drinks and normally pretty reasonable entry prices. We've played Sumo so many times that we often joke with Andy the promoter that we want some S|R hammocks set up in the back so we can kip there till our next gig! In fact Our next gig is at Sumo on July 3rd on a self organised new rock night called 'Face Melter!'

Artsin:  Ryan, you put a lot of pressure on your voice when you sing. Do you get any vocal coaching for this style of singing?

Ryan: I make it a point to always properly warm up with some voice and mouth exercises before a gig so that i don't blow my throat mid set.  I've took a couple of singing lessons to learn some pointers, and have watched a few vocal coaching vids. I wanna do this for a long time to come, so I've made it point to look after my voice. I've only just begun to understand what my voice can do and I can already hear the difference when i compare our old gigs to current ones.
Artsin: Who in the band writes the songs?

S|R: Jai's a riff machine, and will normally whip at a few tasty morsels in practice, then together, we turn the riffs into actual songs, structure them, mix them up and build more layers around them. All of us contribute to the finished product and we always try get everyone's input on creative decisions so we got a song were all happy with!

Artsin: Which comes first - the melody or the lyrics?

S|R: Almost always the melody. Ryan: I sometimes write lyrics before there's a song in place but when working on new material I try to hear what the notes should be before I worry about what the words are. Lodge: The lyrics are easy to write when the mood of the song has been identified and a loose melody in place.

Artsin: Do you consciously model yourself on a big band or group of bands?  Or does that happen 'below the surface'?

S|R: We all have big influences that can be heard in our music but we never model our style or approach to songs to sound like something that's been done before. The natural thing to do when you see or hear a new band for the first time is to make comparisons to an existing band you already know. We've compared to most of our favourite rock bands and we just take that as a sign that were making the kind of music that we would want to listen to!

Artsin: Does the band have plans to go on tour in the near future?

S|R: HELL YES!! Trying to sort out a mini tour at the end of the year around the Midlands, and hopefully we could snag ourselves a support slot with an upcoming touring band at some point next year. Any takers!?

Artsin:  Which UK venue would you most like to play if you had the chance?

S|R: Tough one. Its not a venue as such, but DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE! And Wembley Stadium!

Lodge: I'd like to play the 02 academy's like the one in Birmingham where I saw Killswitch Engage,it's an awesome venue.  Who knows, we may even get the chance to play there if we get through to the next round of 'Surface Unsigned' and make it to the finals!

Artsin:   What do you think of Kasabian?

S|R: They're representing Leicester in the charts and making some fairly original and catchy tunes so we've gotta give them the respect they deserve. Ryan: Tom's an old family friend and from the same village as me (Good old Blaby!) and it still shocks me sometimes when I see him in interviews on TV and in music mags!

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