Silverstein - Antibloom
After nearly three years, Silverstein, the Canadian post-hardcore group, has released Antibloom. Fans will be excited to hear, Antibloom, is one of two albums the band will be releasing in 2025. The album is brief at just eight tracks and totaling 25 minutes.
Mercy Mercy
The album kicks off strong with head-banging drums and fast guitar riffs, which immediately creates an intense and aggressive tone. The track captures the anguish of someone trapped in their ways. The protagonist dives into their struggles with self-destruction. “Bury me deep underneath all the things that I need/ It’s the start of the end, and now I can’t stop counting the days,” suggests the protagonist is on the verge of collapsing and the only thing left to is to count down the days before he enters his grave. Isolation is captured perfectly through the repeated lyrics “Mercy, mercy, I beg you please/ Close your eyes and set me free.” The lyrics imply the protagonist is disconnected from everyone surrounding him- he’s reaching out, but nobody quite understands his pain.
Don’t Let Me Get Too Low
The track seamlessly fuses pop-punk with hardcore energy and continuously moves at full speed with a catchy hook. From the beginning, the lyrics set a vulnerable tone as the protagonist battles with their internal struggles. “Loose ends, tying a rope on my neck/ Pretend that I could hang on till the end/ I can’t sleep with the wight of the worlds in my head,” the lyrics dive into the protagonist struggling to hold on and trying to navigate through the heaviness of their thoughts. Silverstein is not afraid to show their internal struggles and tackling hard topics.
Confession
The tack focuses on our protagonist’s internal battle of wanting to forget someone and being unable to break free from their grip. The lyrics “Take it too far then bite your tongue/ Cut me open then sew me shut/ You were the savior holding the razor,” reveal the protagonist has been hurt by the person he can’t let go. The lyrics emphasize the paradox of the relationship, the person who causes harm to the protagonist is the same one they’re begging to be their savior. Silverstein is showing their versatility with this album- the first two tracks are for fans who fell in love with their heavy guitar riffs and Confessions, leans into pop-punk to showcase their versatility.
A Little Fight
Silverstein shifts from their typical post-hardcore roots to a melodic, pop sound with this next track. While the track features a happy, upbeat sound, the lyrics reflect on the protagonist’s internal struggles. The lyrics “Can we talk about something else? / I can’t stand the sound of my own voice right now,” suggests the protagonist struggles to voice their feelings. The track is not my favorite on the album because it’s the shortest track on the album and I feel the lyrics and the emotional depth were underdeveloped compared to the other tracks on the album.
Skin and Bones
Silverstein does not shy away from heavy lyrical themes, and we have seen it this far on their latest album. This track stands out as their most emotionally intense song on the album, and it’s tributed to lead vocalist Shane Todd’s ex-girlfriend who tragically passed away. The lyrics “We made amends, but never said goodbye/ And now you’re gone, everything is lost,” reflect how quickly we can lose someone and the frustration of not being able to give a final goodbye. The track emphasizes the fragility of life and how quickly life can change. While the song suggests loss is inevitable, it also reminds us to hold on to the memories of those we have lost and how those memories can shape us. The music gradually transitions from an intense, fast beat pace at the beginning to the pop-punk upbeat sound to creates a dynamic shift to giving a sense of hope and moving on in life.
I Will Destroy This
The lyrics speak to the internal struggle of someone who’s aware of their own flaws and mistakes but feels powerless to stop repeating them. With lines like “I fuck it up and I self-destruct”, the song conveys a sense of inevitable destruction, where the narrator seems to embrace their own downfall. The heavy, chaotic tone of the music mirrors the emotional turmoil in the lyrics, making it a powerful anthem for anyone feeling lost and overwhelmed by their own inner battles.
Stress
This track is easily my favorite track off the album because it is the perfect song to headbang to while driving or having your own personal mosh pit at home. It dives deep into the overwhelming pressures and self-destructive thoughts that can consume an individual. The song’s lyrics reveal a battle with anxiety, self-doubt, and the constant feeling of being pushed to the breaking point. Lines like “Maybe I bend, or I snap like a fracture” and “I will detonate everything that I create” reflect the internal turmoil, as the narrator struggles with the weight of expectations and their own sense of inadequacy.
Cherry Coke
The closing track is a beautiful ballad that offers a stark contrast to the rest of the album that has been filled with post-hardcore and pop-punk elements. The track dives into the protagonist reflecting on being addicted to self-blaming and self-sabotaging. “What if I wasn’t anything / But vibrations through a string” show a deep existential questioning, as the narrator wonders if their existence has any meaning. It’s my second favorite track of the album because the ballad’s tone and the lyrics are something relatable for anyone who has battled with depression and mental health.
Silverstein did not shy away from implementing their personal struggles into this album and showcasing their versatility by blending post-hardcore, pop-punk, and even a melodic ballad. The album doesn’t stick to one sound, allowing the band to demonstrate their range and prove they aren’t a one-trick pony. This album is worth checking out and will leave listeners eager for their next album dropping later this year.