Music Review: ERRA’s Seventh Symphony: A Deep Dive into the Immersive Layers of Silence Outlives the Earth
- Dan Dimartino
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
ERRA is back with a new era… Okay, all bad puns and dad jokes aside, ERRA is back with their newest release, “Silence Outlives the Earth.” I'll admit right away that this album is fantastic. It has atmosphere, grit, clean production, and if you haven’t already listened to it, I highly recommend you do. “Silence Outlives the Earth” has the classic ERRA sound and feel, but they also explore new realms in sound and lyrically. Now let’s dive into “Silence Outlives the Earth.”
The album opens with “Stelliform,” immediately immersing you in the signature ERRA guitar tone. Ambient textures swiftly transition into a dynamic, djent riff-style verse, showcasing J.T. Cavey's powerful screams. The chorus introduces Jesse Cash’s cleans for the first time, which convey a sense of vulnerability, allowing the listeners to resonate with the lyrics. It reminded me of something I would hear with the vocal delivery of Anthony Green or Cove Reber in Saosin. The lyrics explore themes of hope and despair with lines such as “You are finding a way back to your heart / floating slowly through the infinite dark / you follow a faint light / we choose to self-destruct / permit what tears us up / rebuild to repeat the cycle / it never ends.” By the end of “Stelliform,” I was ready for ERRA to guide me through a journey of self-reflection, hope, despair, and discovering beauty within the darkness.
“Further Eden” was one of the singles and the second track off the album. While the song maintains the classic ERRA sound with an atmospheric tone and moments that will give the listeners a stank face, it does have moments that stand out as new for the band. Guitarists Clint and Jesse's work stands out because it's more melodic and lighter in the sense of technicality and less dense for the ears. But of course, this all changes in the bridge where it has the classic ERRA breakdown that will melt faces and make you lose your mind in the pit. The combination of harsh and clean vocals adds an energetic dimension to the track. As a single and an early track on the album, it is accessible, introduces new elements, and maintains classic aspects.
“Gore of Being” hits you with a punch in the face with how ferocious it is. It has the technicality of guitarists Jesse and Clint, while the precision drumming of Alex allows this song to be heavy with a groove to it. The vocal delivery of J.T. and Jesse is on point as always, hitting the harsh screams and the cleans that have a slight harsh tone to them. The standout in this song is the lyrics, which talk about the struggle to find meaning in life, and you feel it in the lyrics “Submit to the violence of mortality / no cure no meaning / to the gore of being.”
“Black Cloud” is a more mellow song that highlights Jesse’s clean vocals. This song is absolutely beautiful and captivating, with guitar tones and lyrical delivery that truly resonate emotionally. Alex's drumming adds distinct grooves without overshadowing the song, allowing listeners to just get lost in the 3:38 track. This song is a standout on the album for its simplicity in writing, which enhances the atmospheric elements ERRA knows how to deliver. Simply put, this song is beautifully melodic.
“Cicada Siren” brings back the high intensity and chugging riffs. It has a very djent-style guitar riff that complements J.T.’s harsh and clean vocals so well. The kick drum pattern by Alex reminded me of Meshuggah’s “Bleed” right away, but it’s done so well that again it doesn’t overpower the song; it adds. You really hear this kick drum pattern in the second verse. The lyrics are another standout in this track that feel like they are expressing self-destruction and loss of identity. You feel this sense with the lyrics “Hold you like a stone / holy like a ghost / like a fire lie below / I’ll burn inside your soul” and “This hold will never let me go / I’ve lost my will to exist.” This is some of ERRA’s best work when it comes to their heavier tone in their catalog.
“Echo Sonata” has a warmer vibe and reminds me of earlier ERRA sounds. I absolutely love the tapping leads and open chorus because they give so much more contrast to the heavier sections within the song. “Echo Sonata” has so much emotional energy with the guitars, vocal delivery, and the lyrics, which dive into grief and loss. Again, it’s another beautiful song from start to finish.
“Lucid Threshold” has a perfect blend of warmth and aggression and is driven by atmosphere. Alex’s drumming stands out throughout the entire track. His kick-snare pattern in the verse helps highlight the cleans from Jesse, and the ghost snare in the chorus is a chef's kiss. His kick pattern in the bridge helps highlight the chugs from the guitars and helps ease the heaviness back into the light atmospheric tone of the verse. The aggression in the outro flows so well because, while it's still heavy, the band maintains that atmospheric tone and vibe, which makes me feel like I am in a dream throughout the song.
"Spiral (of Liminal Infinity)" retains the dreamy ambiance present in "Lucid Threshold," while ERRA introduces fresh elements. The reversed vocal roles, with clean vocals in the verse and harsh vocals in the pre-chorus or latter part of the verse, were an unexpected delight. The riff's tone and style reminded me of Paramore's "Decode," albeit with a heavier touch. Jesse's clean vocals in the bridge provide a sense of release and tranquility before the song and album build tension once more for the concluding section.
“I. The Many Names of God” is arguably the heaviest track on the album. The introduction features an unrelentingly heavy djent riff accompanied by a kick pattern that aligns with the riff. This song transports listeners to a dark place, and the atmospheric textures ensure they remain there. I particularly appreciate J.T.'s vocal performance; it's fierce and angry, which suits the song's heaviness. I'm glad ERRA chose to have J.T. handle all the vocals, as it maintains a tension throughout the song without any release.
“II. In The Gut of The Wolf” brings a whole different vibe to the album. It’s the connecting song to the trilogy and leans into industrial metalcore. J.T.'s vocals go from harsh with a sense of anger to still harsh, but there's desperate behind it. Jesse’s backing vocals also lean into the desperate tone, but they’re more distant and eerie. The rhythm in this track is unlike any of the previous tracks. It feels like everyone is playing in a pocket rhythm, which makes it feel like a wall of sound, and the pace feels slower, which surprisingly adds more tension than release. It remains dark, eerie atmospheric tone of the previous track while building anticipation for the conclusion.
“III. Twilight in The Reflection of Dreams” brings a release to the tension that was building up in the previous tracks. The guitar riff and tone throughout the entire song bring a sense of peace accompanied by Jesse’s clean vocals. The lyrics explore acceptance and peace which adds to the sense of release. I truly appreciate Alex's drumming, as he knows when to stand out and when to blend in, allowing the vibe and atmosphere to prevail. The outro, featuring the guitar and Jesse's clean vocals, feels cinematic. I can't imagine a better conclusion to this album and the trilogy. Simply incredible.
The production on “Silence Outlives The Earth” is some of the best I have heard in a long time. They've achieved something remarkable, enabling the listener to perceive every detail with clarity. You hear every texture, every cymbal hit, drum fill, kick pattern, guitar riff, solo, finger tapping, and every clean and harsh vocal perfectly. The more I listen, the more I pick up on little details, and the more I am in awe of the production. I hope they read this because they deserve a standing ovation.
ERRA continues to evolve with each album, and "Silence Outlives The Earth" is no exception. In my opinion, this is the band's most cohesive and impressive instrumental work to date. Every element is meticulously arranged, and the lyrics guide you through a journey with a conclusion.
"Silence Outlives The Earth" is now available for streaming and purchase everywhere. You can catch ERRA on tour with Currents, Caskets, and Aviana until April 19th.