Back in 2020, Pittsburgh metallic hardcore crew 156/Silence captured the collective attention of the heavy music contingent with the release of their commanding effort, Irrational Pull. The collection of cathartic tracks toed a fine line between the immersive experience of hardcore music and the dynamic songwriting of metal in a way that was both articulate and artistically abrasive.
While 2020 proved to be a near universally stagnant year for almost everything and one, 156/Silence found themselves gaining traction with their brand of blue collar eloquence channeled into sound that met the requisite hostility of the sentiment. The music was aggressive yet authentic - enough so that creative momentum had to continue despite the world being forced into hibernation during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.
The band found themselves at a sort of a crossroads - slow their pace and wait out the uncertainty of their surrounding world or again, use their craft to connect with a sense of release. The result a 4-days studio stretch that has since fruited four of the band's most complete recorded songs to date. Enlisting the expertise of producer Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos), and the mastering touch of Will Putney (Every Time I Die, The Ghost Inside, Knocked Loose), Don’t Hold Your Breath serves as a concise, albeit convincing 4-track EP that ultimately signifies the arrival of heavy music's new school.
The band's guitarist Ryan Wilkinson spoke about the climate of last year and how that inevitably propelled the band to find their focus. "In 2020 the world went into lockdown, and widespread panic ensued. Many of us were isolated from our family, friends, and the lives we knew as we watched it all unfold. A lot of us experienced overwhelming feelings of fear, anxiety, helplessness, and uncertainty as we retreated further into ourselves. We as a band found something in that isolation, in the darkness of our thoughts. These are songs of reflection, loss, regret, and loneliness. At the end you might ask yourself if it was all just a dream? To that we say, 'Don’t Hold Your Breath.'"
To properly introduce the poignant effort, 156/Silence have now shared the first offering from those studio session with "The Wrong Sense". Channeling the impending sense of collapse and the seemingly ubiquitous feeling of uncertainty that essentially defined the era, Vocalist Jack Murray summarizes the emotion that anchors the volatility of the single. "Moments of weakness. A lapse of efficacy. The feelings of uncertainty and doubt that seem to only flourish once spoken. An innate aptitude to surmise the collapse: The Wrong Sense."
A brilliant intersection of intensity and introspection, 156/Silence wear their influences and their emotions on their sleeve. Any further evidence of that can be seen below. Stream the KNOTFEST premiere of "The Wrong Sense" below. Don't Hold Your Breath arrives October 29th via SharpTone Records and can be pre-ordered - HERE