Silent Planet Presents Their Latest, Superbloom

By Phil Hawkins

“A Superbloom is this strange moment where brilliant fauna spring forth unexpectedly and bring forth such an array of colors, it almost feels alien in origin,” Garrett notes. “It only lasts for a couple of weeks before it’s gone. While we were recording, the Superbloom was happening. For me, the record is getting in touch with the other side and watching the strange and paranormal emerge from the mundane and profane, hence the title.”

Silent Planet are anything but strangers to the genre and could even be considered genre defining in some aspects. As a whole they have carved out a unique niche for themselves within the hardcore landscape all while managing to take rather intimate risks that pay off in the long run. Superbloom is no different as it showcases the band diversifying their musical approach rather than just continuing to do more of what comes so naturally with only slight variations.

Superbloom kicks off with “Lights Off The Lost Coast” which serves an intro before kicking in to gear with “Offworlder.” “Offworlder” is a prime example of what fans of Silent Planet have come to expect, but still manages to expand on their sound with some slight intricacies within the composition of the track. “Collider” picks the pace up even more and manages to create a sense of urgency laced throughout the musical aspects which blend exquisitely with Garrett Russel’s lyrical approach and execution. “Euphoria” rounds out the first segment of the album and continues to build upon the framework that Silent Planet establishes so early in to the album as a whole.

“Dreamwalker” picks up where “Euphoria” leaves off and solidly delivers a mid section of the album that is just as noteworthy as the first portion. “Antimatter” follows and is perhaps the most unique track of the bunch. It had previously been released as a single and was somewhat met with mixed reviews as it is distinctly different from what was expected of the band. However, the track has managed to propel the band in to a more diverse arena that what would be expected. It takes risks and feels like it might skirt a fine line of being “commercial” without losing the musical and lyrical integrity the band is known for. “:Signal:” keeps the momentum built and throw in a slight chaotic element for good measure that keeps the middle of the album somewhat enigmatic in some ways. “Anunnaki” continues to drive home the band’s intrinsic brand of metal/hardcore/ambience without missing a step from the preceding track.

As the album draws closer to conclusion tracks like “The Overgrowth” shift things around ever so slightly while managing to keep the same thematic tone that is commonplace on the album. “Nexus” follows and manages to stand out so late in the album as it feels to have a heavier musical element to it than the rest of the album. It could be the crunchier guitar tones mixed with Russel’s vocal delivery that make the track stand out so late in the game. “Reentry” serves as a prelude to the album closer “SUPERBLOOM.” As a closer it carries such a strong ethereal element that is light and somewhat dreamy which is such a stark contrast to the rest of the album and closes out the album in spectacular fashion.

Ultimately, Superbloom builds upon the legacy that Silent Planet has created for themselves and continues to build upon and pave new avenues for the band to explore musically. This could very well be the album that gains the band long overdue attention that they truly deserve and have worked so hard for.

Superbloom is out now via Solid State Records and available on all major streaming and digital platforms. You can also order physical copies via the band’s webstore.

Silent Planet is playing House of Blues in Anaheim at the end of December and then have a string of dates in late January in to early February. You can get info on any of these, or any future dates, here.