ALBUM REVIEW: 156/SILENCE - FROM A DISTANCE (04/09/26)
When asking the question; ‘What makes a 156/Silence album?’ Don't expect the answer to be forthcoming. The Pittsburgh outfit aren't in the habit of repeating themselves.
Over their previous album releases, the band have made a point to never stand still in their soundscape. 2026’s melodic and curated version of the quintet a far cry from 2018’s Undercover Scumbag, which led with gritty punk guitars and highly emotive, bass heavy stoner rock flavours. Irrational Pull in 2020 introduced a clearer, metal forward direction, while retaining the darkness and intensity that the fans- picked up along the way- craved. Narrative in 2022 opened up doors to a freer creative direction, more risks taken, more rewards reaped, with a slight lean into electronics and a hint to the future of the band. This era introduced the kind of metal you're compelled to add lasers to. People Watching in 2024 seemed to lead with a new kind of confidence, the path well-trodden- of never treading the same path, fully fixed the trajectory of the 156/Silence journey with a new confidence and intention that has culminated in From A Distance, the most reaching and self-assured offering from the band so far.
Opening with a clip from hit TV show Severance, featuring Helly R talking about personhood and personal governance, ‘Control Burns’ is a creeping start, which acts as far more than an introduction track and more as a bellwether for the themes set out on the sonic journey to come.
‘No Arms’ gets into the meat of the album with a somewhat funky intro, the Deftones influence here is unmistakable and incredibly effective with the smooth slide into heavier moments of the song. Almost four months since this track was released as a taster of From A Distance, songwriter Jimmy Howell had also cited Thrice as a big influence. On ‘No Arms’ and following track; ‘Order & Entropy’, this can be heard in abundance. There is a sweet and sincere mix of clean vocals amongst Jack Murray’s screams, layered with big melodic moments, creating a majestic and polished sound.
‘Swept From Under (Call of the Void)’, which has also been a preview of the album- in the wild since July, provides the cathartic, heavier moment while still staying on the path of the album’s uniqueness. Then, ‘An Early Exit’ de-escalates quickly, with a much calmer and more poignant reverie.
‘Collateral’, ft. Crippling Alcoholism builds the tension next. After confirming the ft. is an actual collaboration with the Massachusetts group and not just an early 2000’s Fall Out Boy song title, this track turns out to be one of the most boundary pushing of the release. With the rumbling feeling of a car speeding uncontrolled through a dark cold night, the tendency of 156/Silence to vibe with intense horror, and high-tension themes on full display with ‘Collateral’.
On ‘Cannon Fodder’, everything about the track feels heartbreaking, Murray's and The Devil Wears Prada’s Mike Hranica’s vocals mix into a desperate but powerful lament. ‘Secret Room’ picks up the torch to return to freneticism with an epic and soaring start that morphs into a chuggy and layered feast. This may be one of the understated highlights of the album, nestled in at the three-quarter mark, the track seems to encompass every aspect of the album in just over 3 minutes, the carnage of ‘Control Burns’, the sweetness of ‘Early Exit’ and the unsettling dissonance of ‘Collateral’ all rolled into a quintessential track.
‘Proxy Idols’ certainly starts with a punch to the gut, before morphing into a deeper, more synchronised track. Chosen as one of the three preludes to the full album, this slick, complex and full throated offering, weaves through the melodic, the heavy, and the presupposed, but no less satisfying breakdowns.
‘Phoenix Dies’, switches on a dime between haunting melody and outright brutality, culminating in a very satisfying, sing/scream along track. This, if nothing else, is the underlying power of this collection of songs. Through the varying levels of ruthlessness, abreaction, and anguish, the seamless switch between those various expressions is not only seamless but impressively executed.
On title track, ‘From A Distance’, Alex Reade of Make Them Suffer lends her vocal prowess. Starting with earnest piano and delicate vocals, From A Distance acts as the lullaby of the album, undoubtedly the most pure and raw moment.
With ‘After Dusk’ bringing everything to a close with a last hurrah of haunting electronic undertones below blasting metalcore, the closer on the album really demonstrates what 156/Silence have been gunning for, a development in sound from their previous releases- yes, but also a delve deeper into the deep dark depths of where their sound can actually go.
So, what makes a 156/Silence album? The answer can only be- whatever the hell they say does.