2017 seen the formation of Southwest Virginia hard rock band Silence In The Stars. The band released their debut self-titled full length last year. At the time the band was a 5 piece. Currently the only remaining members are lead vocalist Ryan Osborne and guitarist and backing vocalist Jeffery Mullins. Silence In The Stars has now found the time to write and record a 16+ minute EP. Though the band is currently just a duo they found help in recording from both their producer and another talented band in the region. The new EP titled ‘Believe’ was recorded by John Chaney and Mark Chaney and was produced by John Chaney. Then the album was mixed by Steve Correo. ‘Believe’ showcases Ryan Osborne on lead vocals, Jeffery Mullins, producer John Chaney and Mirrored Image guitarist Mark Chaney all helped out with the guitar work, Jeffery Mullins also played drums on the album as well, bass and keyboard parts was also added by Mark Chaney. The EP was released on November 30th.
The four track ‘Believe’ EP begins with the song “The Monster” which kicks off with a grungy or alternative sounding riff. Ryan Osborne has two variations to his vocals on this track, one of which is slightly gritty and sharp, the other being more melodic that helps the flow of the chorus. You can certainly hear some grunge and 90’s alternative influence within his vocal style. After a short instrumental break down his vocals become a little more hushed before kicking back into the chorus. The lead guitar work by Jeffery Mullins is perfectly composed in the song. During portions of the song the riffs are more subtle and let the vocals shine and then at the perfect moments they step up and take the spotlight between verses and in the instrumental section of the song. It’s a killer track that truly grabs your attention and has you eager to consume the remainder of the EP. The second track “February” has a garage rock sound with the simple riff and its tone. There are moments in this track where Osborne unleashes an angry and embattled tone when reciting the title of the song. It shows the passion within the song and the gut wrenching scream contrasts perfectly with his melodic singing style that precedes it. The final track on the album “Down” is an acoustic song and would likely be considered the bands ballad. Within “Down” you can hear Osborne’s voice tremble and shake as he sings, you can hear it in some of the other songs as well but it’s more prevalent here. That trembling in his voice is what makes it unique and unlike anything you may have heard before. The song also has some backing vocal harmonies. The backing vocals were recorded by everyone that aided in the recording of the EP and additionally Mirrored Image vocalist Dylan Belcher. Don’t let the word ballad fool you, though this song might not have you headbanging it is an emotionally charged song that definitely earns its spot on the EP.
‘Believe’ is a refreshed from what Silence In The Stars showed us on their self-titled debut. The band incorporates passion filled lyrics into a hard rock sound infused with grunge. Each song is thoughtfully composed with the listener in mind and Osborne’s vocals soar leaving you eagerly awaiting for the next chorus.
