England’s My Silent Wake may not be the most visible doom/death metal outfit to emerge from Old Blighty. But they may be one of the most prolific. Since 2006, only a year after forming, the Britons embarked on an aggressive full-length attack that sees them three short of veterans My Dying Bride, another three short (although calling Anathema doom-death is patently false) of Liverpudlians Anathema, and five short of legends Paradise Lost. Really, what band, doom or death metal, is putting out an album a year, with very few in the mainstream underground press noticing? Maybe My Silent Wake is the only band competing for that single feat.
That may not change too much with the signing of the band to Italian miniature Minotauro Records for new album, There Was Death, but we’re supportive of giving the band, featuring ex-Seventh Angel guitarist Ian Arkley, more exposure, especially on a track like “Killing Flaw.” Which is the track we have the had pleasure to premiere. Speaking of “Killing Flaw,” it’s regal and depressive as fuck, like a king in slow yet inevitable decline. The main guitar line, courtesy of Arkley and sideman Mike Hitchen, is splendidly epic, while the pace stammers expertly from mid to slow and back to mid, reminiscent of storied American heroes Novembers Doom. As for the vocals, Arkley kills it, recalling the classic era of British death metal vocalists (like Karl Willets and Dave Ingram). Certainly, fans of the aforementioned Novembers Doom, Draconian, Paramæcium, and Saturnus will find depressive solace in My Silent Wake’s “Killing Flaw.”
Bassist Addam Westlake fills in the remainder: “This is the third track from our new album There Was Death. We spent a long time writing and perfecting the album with all of the tracks going through some major changes — even on the first day of recording in one case. The album is a continuation of the style that Ian, Gareth, and I laid down on Damnatio Memoriae (our last full-metal album). With Si Bibby joining on keys it’s added another layer of atmosphere. I’d say it’s our heaviest, darkest work to date. We also used artwork by Juha Vuorma again, we love his style and reckon his work looks fantastic — especially on vinyl! ‘Killing Flaw’ is no exception. I wrote the bass intro maybe three years ago, and spent the time since then writing riffs, discarding riffs and writing more riffs. ‘Killing Flaw’ was the working title for this track during the writing process — before we’d even begun to come up with vocal ideas or lyrical themes. But then I played a game called Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice, which, aside from having a wonderful narrative, deals with mental health issues. So the lyrics were heavily inspired by the game and the song’s final arrangement fits around the lyrical theme.”
** My Silent Wake’s new album, There Was Death, is out February 18th on Minotauro Records. Pre-orders are not yet available, but click HERE to inquire for more about My Silent Wake.
