Silver Knife is an international post-black metal outfit whose members are scattered between Belgium, France and The Netherlands. It was formed a year ago by the main song-writing members of Laster, Hypothermia, Cult of Erinyes and Lure. Behind the intelligent multi-instrumentalists the debut album ‘Unyielding/Unseeing’ combines several masterminds who conveyed their genuine ideas to experiment with different musical domains. The debut has a multi-faceted and complex sound and for this reason, the band aimed for a multi-layered approach. Silver Knife abundantly incorporates melodies that create a dismal atmosphere. Over the course of forty-plus minutes, the band embraces the elegant elements of post-black metal. With its six cascading tunes the music is propelled into driven blast beasts.

By all means, ‘Unyielding/Unseeing‘ experiments with the melodic elements of post-metal, hence leaving the listener bewildered and lost in the hazy nature of the double-edged songs. By blending the modern aesthetic, the beauty of the music lies in the quality of the outpouring melodies. The ideas which have shaped the songs sound both aggressive and moody. The frequent tempo changes and the energetic role of the rhythm guitars take the largest scope in adding a deep emotional feeling. While the drums mostly take a rapid pace from the start of the album, the songs often evolve to slow passages. Although there is no doubt about the songwriting skills, Silver Knife focuses on creating dense layers. All these distinctions result in an emotional upheaval. The opening track ‘Unyielding‘ begins straight into blast beats, but its beauty lays within the subtle layers of the guitar melodies. With its emphasis on the burning sensation of the tremolo-picked riffs, the band manages to interlace the rhythm with melodies.

‘This Numinous Loom‘ is all about the interwoven melodies. Silver Knife uses the effect of the synth to generate some kind of a warm atmosphere. The melodies are soaked in the colorful hues of nature. Musically, the album is helmed by the violent sequences of the drums. There is also a good diversity in the flow of the music that finds a reasonable balance between the melodies and the mournful vocals. Silver Knife’s fluctuating formula showcases their ability with musical prowess, although much effort is put into the synth patterns to create multiple layers of rich textures.

‘Unyielding/Unseeing‘ is centered upon the transitions. For example, the third track ‘Silver & Red‘ takes inspiration from the modern blackgaze and post-metal bands. The characteristic quality of fusing bright and gloomy atmospheres provides a contrast to the humming rhythm. There are plenty of blast beats and tremolo-picked riffs, but they are quite far from the principles of black metal. Leaning towards depressive and melancholic themes, the minimal use of the synth builds up an emotional atmosphere.

The melodies overall have a stylish sound quality which provides a plethora of bright textures, yet there are moments that feature bleak instrumentation like the instrumental track ‘Unseeing‘. With an array of guitar melodies lending multilayered textures, Silver Knife experiments with the elements of post-metal. Slowly slithering out from the attributes of modern black metal ‘Unyielding/Unseeing‘ demonstrates the technical prowess of these talented members. A track like ‘Conjuring Traces‘ features some beautiful synth work that combines the elements of modern ambient music. Whilst the guitars lend a full tonal for the track, the drums take a dynamic pace. However, the shrieking vocals and tremolos flow through the mid-tempo. 

Yet there are many unexpected moments when the band unfolds its bleak and melodic instrumentation. Silver Knife maintains a dynamic spectrum of variable tempos and atmosphere with a flamboyant style of melodies that decorate the quality of the songs. The buried vocals in the mix and the somber resonance of the guitar riffs on the final track ‘Sundown‘ draw influences from lo-fi black metal. The bleak opening moments of the guitars are accompanied by a crescendo of shrieking vocals and unstoppable blast beats whilst the synth ebb and flow. Despite its many twists the debut album contains many mystifying elements of atmospheric post-black metal that should attract fans of this sub-genre. 

Release Date: August 19th, 2020
Label: Amor Fati Productions
Track list:

1. Unyielding
2. This Numinous Loom
3. Silver & Red
4. Unseeing
5. Conjuring Traces
6. Sundown