By: Staff
The Silent Era Drops Hypnotic New Single "Oscillations" with a Powerful Impact
The Silent Era a London based band, is serving up an incredible fusion of industrial, goth, psych, shoegaze, and coldwave vibes, and it's something truly their own.
We had a chance to experience this band's music and we loved it. When all of these genres blend together, they create a sound that’s absolutely unique to The Silent Era and flows so smoothly. It’s so catchy and it almost has an element of dance to it. When Bri Macanas’ vocals hit your ears, it’s a beautiful pleasure, full of power and grace, grit and ability that is impressive on so many levels. Macanas has this incredible knack for dropping down into a softer, more subtle delivery, showing she’s an artist to keep an eye on, with talent that is both diverse and captivating.
Supporting this tremendous vocal performance is Chris Schwarten on guitar, Nicolas Zappa on bass, and Jo Eiffes on drums. The combination of their musical talents is tremendous, resulting in such a rich, full sound that every part of the atmosphere is alive. It’s nearly impossible to take this song in with less than half a dozen listens because they cover so much musical ground. The intro drums kick off with a danceable beat that carries the song, and when the guitars enter, the bass and guitar really blast through your speakers. This band likes it loud, and they definitely know how to deliver it with clarity and grace. There’s an almost orchestral command in their instrumentation, and when you combine all of this with Macanas’ vocals, you’re left with a truly magical result.
The song dives into the cycle of repeating frustrating, toxic patterns and letting them go on and on in our lives. What’s incredible, though, is there’s nothing frustrating or mistaken about this track -it’s tremendous, making the delivery feel ironically the perfect opposite of the lyrical meaning. The song culminates with a blanket of Macanas’ vocals over the entire band, who are absolutely jamming out. It’s a fantastic way to close out the performance.
Next up, we checked out “Heaven/Hell (Brutalist Remix by Nicolas Zappa),” and there’s an incredible synth undertone to the song that shifts the entire dynamic of the band. It’s a brilliant showcase of their ability to dip their toes into so many different musical styles. We’re having a hard time choosing a favorite, but the heavy and sustained bass line was a huge win for us, along with the synths and overall supporting arrangement. This band truly has a lot to offer on stage.
Halfway through the track, there’s some fantastic engineering that creates some seriously trippy sensations for the listener. It’s absolute ear candy, and just when you think it’s over, they come back at you with full force. You immediately know this band would be incredible live and will definitely become a fan favorite.
This four-piece band crafts a unique mix of industrial, goth rock, shoegaze, and post-punk, creating heavy yet ethereal soundscapes. Their introspective lyrics dive deep into the darker corners of human experience. Each member brings their own diverse background and musical history to the group, hailing from different countries, but they found their creative connection in The Silent Era. Together, they saturate their instruments with distortion and reverb, pushing the boundaries of alternative rock.
Their brand new single, "Oscillations," is the first glimpse into their upcoming debut album "Wide And Deep And Cold," which is set to drop on November 1st through M&O Music.
Mark your calendars for October 31st because they're throwing an album launch show at the Victoria in Dalston.
You can find this release on any major platform, see below for links to take you straight to some of the profiles. Make sure to playlist, stream, and share "Oscillations" by The Silent Era.
Powerful Quotes From Outlets About This Band:
“Powerful sound, masterful musical arrangement, soaring vocals and
excellent vibes…there is nothing out there like what The Silent Era
gives to the world…the music has a story, a character, a powerful
presence that instantly covers the walls of the room it's played in…”
- Rock Era Magazine
“A brand-new release from The Silent Era brings together a cross of a
heavy-handed alternative rock soundscape but breeds that with
industrial sort of undertones and a super-vast feel to create an
atmosphere that has a cinematic approach and this kind of character
that you end up getting attached to.”
- Rag Mag
Wait… there's more!
We had the chance to catch up with The Silent Era for an exclusive interview in "The Cage" Music Blog.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview
Please tell us the names and roles of each band member.
Nicolas Zappa - Bass, among other things
Bri Macanas - Vox
Chris Schwarten - Guitar
Jo Eiffes - Drums
What’s the story behind how you chose your band's name, The Silent Era?
Nicolas: among a lot of nasty ideas, The Silent Era came up as a winner. It’s cinematic, rather dark, and if you’ve seen German expressionist films, you’ll find it’s quite crazy that those movies were screaming without using any words. Which is funny to think when you have such a powerful vocalist. We like loudness.
Can you describe the type of music that you play and the genres you represent? Are there different styles within your genre?
Nicolas: rock’n’roll.
Bri: Post-Millennial Neo-Goth-Pop Industri-Doom Wave Soulgaze
Can you walk us through where the inspiration for "Oscillations" comes from?
Nicolas: musically I always wanted to make a ‘A Forest’ by The Cure type of song, cold, dark,
eerie, almost krautrock. So it started with a bass, a drum machine, synths, guitars, a lot of reverb, a lot of chorus, and the wind. After that came the distorted elements and the metallic percussion, and it started to sound like us.
Bri: The cold, electronic feel with a thick haze of guitars, synths, and effects felt like an overactive narrative in my mind, like cotton wool. The driving drums and bass gave me a sense of urgency and momentum, like being trapped in a never-ending cycle. I’d written some lyrics during a difficult time for me mentally, as a way of facing my emotions. The feeling of the music really resonated with them, with driving, melancholic verses, frantic, euphoric choruses, and calm, moody post-choruses reflecting everything I talk about.
Can you describe the theme of this release's artwork and what the inspiration and intention were for the observer to absorb from it?
Bri: we were looking for something circular, but we also wanted it to align with our previous single artworks. Chris came with the idea of an iris which I liked because it looks like you’ve zoomed in on a troubled face. It also represents looking inside oneself - ‘the eyes are the window to the soul.’ The added distortions and aberrations represent a troubled psyche and fall in line with our usual style.
Can you tell us about the production process for "Oscillations"?
Nicolas: Once the instrumental demo was ready, Bri added her parts. Then we started to play it as a band, tested it on stage, adjusted a few things before we recorded the actual song. Most of the guitars were recorded at Brighton Electric Studios, where we tried different amps, different pedals with Chris in order to have the right textures and enough material to play around with. Then Jo and I programmed the drum machine (it’s the only song from the album featuring a drum machine instead of live drums), I recorded the bass parts, some bass VI, synths from my home studio. Bri recorded her parts from hers and I mixed the whole thing.
How does "Oscillations" fit within the broader themes of your debut album "Wide And Deep And Cold"?
Bri: For me, through my lyrics, “Oscillations” is about the frustration of repeating myself and falling into the same mistakes and hurts over and over. It will come at the end of the album which makes sense, because it’s like a realisation that I need to kick myself out of this loop of self-destruction. There’s this whole journey through the album from self-deception and anger and hopelessness, through to hope and wanting to heal. So, “Oscillations” is part of that journey.
What role does live performance play in bringing "Oscillations" to life?
Bri: Every time I perform it, I get a little more from it and figure out what more I can do with it. So, I’m glad we were able to gig it thoroughly before recording.
Nicolas: all the adjustments and nuances brought along the way from the demo stage to the recording.
Chris: It’s definitely a different side to it. For me, the live version is far more chaotic and noisy. It really backs the frustration within the lyrics.
Can you share any memorable moments from your journey leading up to the release of "Oscillations"?
Nicolas: The cold night in that flat with no heating whilst recording in Brighton in February. I’m sure it influenced the sound of the takes.
Which instrument serves as the foundational starting point for any musical creations, and how does it influence the direction and overall sound of the compositions?
Nicolas: can be anything really, a beat, a guitar sound, a bass sound, a synth, a new plugin. It depends on the song. Oscillations, for example, started with the bassline and the beat first, you can feel it in its drive. Songs like Dead of Night (from the album), for example, started with guitar textures and were built around it, and you can clearly feel it when you hear them.
Chris: I agree totally with Nic. One of my favourite things about writing music is riding out that initial spark until it’s become a fully formed thing. Vendetta, which is the second song on the album, actually started from a very busy trap beat, which I ended up just kinda dooming over. I sometimes like to build songs around elements that I end up deleting in the end - it’s interesting because it still feels like the ghost of that element lives on because it’s informed everything else. That song is kinda an example of that.
Where does the band congregate to create music, at home, in a recording studio, or with a producer? How do you finalize the work ie. self mixed and mastered or through another source?
Nicolas: there’s a lot of DIY in what we do. It usually starts with an instrumental demo from me or Chris made at home, then Bri writes the vocal parts. From there, it’s all about making it a band song by adjusting parts, fills, words, and when we have a solid version, we book studio time for guitar and drums tracking mostly. Other parts are recorded and self-engineered at home, as well as mixing. We leave mastering to a mastering engineer for the final touch. So besides studio recording and mastering, we do everything ourselves. It’s sort of what brings a certain vibe to our recordings, probably. And it’s also the best learning experience.
What was the most challenging part of bringing "Oscillations" to life from the initial idea to the final recording?
Bri: I already had some lyrics I wanted to put to the demo because I felt the sentiment fit well with the music. I’d written about something that really hit me deeply over the pandemic - the challenge was reevaluating the meaning after a lot of soul searching. I’d originally written a lot of stuff in anger mostly, but reframing it to fit my new narrative and getting my mind to a place where I could reframe it was the most challenging bit for me. But I’m glad I’m here now.
Nicolas: production-wise it went pretty smoothly overall I think. The release is probably the big challenge.
What part of the music-making process is the most stressful, for example, the creation, the actual release date, etc.?
Bri: waiting to release music once it’s ready to go. The most stressful thing for me has been this lead up to our debut album’s release. I’m wracked with anxiety - we’ve put so much work into this thing we’ve crafted together, unearthed the thread between the songs (mostly my pandemic panic), put together a theme. I just hope people like it, you know. I hope people can resonate with it somehow.
Nicolas: exactly the same. As much as I’m satisfied with the result and glad it will be out soon, it was so much work (work I love doing), you just want it to find its audience but it’s never guaranteed, and the wait is a bit nerve-wracking.
Chris: Add to that music industry “professionals” who tell you nobody is going to pay attention to any music you’ve created unless you’re working overtime as a “content creator”, spending most of your time making TikToks instead of making music. That’s the stuff I find stressful: dealing with industry people who spend their whole time gaslighting artists into following trends because they don’t have any actual appreciation or understanding for music or the bands they are supposed to be promoting.
Which of your already released songs is the most important to you or had the most impact on the band's career, and why?
Bri: I love “Matter Of Time”, but it was released during a period where we weren’t really able to rave about it and gig around, for personal reasons, which is fine. I just feel like it deserved more airing somehow. We got some nice reviews, but it’s such an epic tune and quite a tangent off of our usual sound - whatever that is. I guess also “Heavy Cure” had the biggest impact as our first track - we seemed to have hit the ground running with that one.
Nicolas: they all have their own role. But I guess Matter of Time is quite pivotal as it’s the first song from the album to be released, although it’s a different mix.
If a band (no matter how famous) were scouting for individuals with your group’s talents and you had the opportunity to audition, which band would you love to be asked for the chance to work with them?
Bri: It’d be obvious to say bands like NIN, QOTSA, Deftones, but I’d rather go for criminally under-the-radar bands who make beautiful, deep, heavy music like Elephant Tree or Spotlights. There’s obviously also bands like Iress, Healthyliving, and Gggolddd, but they already have incredible singers, so no need for me - only my talents as a fan are needed there, lol.
Nicolas: Monochromatic Visions and Black Orchids! (come see us all on 31st October!)
Chris: It would be obvious to say Nine Inch Nails or Deftones…and that is what I will say! I’d also chuck in Massive Attack towards the top of the list too. But the list could go on for days!
Describe your favorite, and least favorite parts about being in a band.
Bri: being creative and building something together that we all love is awesome, then finding people who get what we’re about is probably my favourite part. Least is aligning our calendars, admin, and social media.
Nicolas: favourite: starting new music, finishing new music. Least favourite: yeah the admin stuff, and the difficulty in finding really competent people in the music business.
Chris: all the actual band stuff is great! Creating music, making creative decisions, playing it live, and rehearsals are all good. Like Bri and Nicolas say, the admin stuff is easily the worst part, and it’s so much of it! A lot of people really don’t realize just how much admin work goes into making a band work. Thankfully (for me at least) Bri and Nicolas do a lot of heavy lifting on that side of things for us.
Do you follow a process or ritual before a performance to manage nerves or performance anxiety?
Bri: just a vocal warmup, then joining the guys with a beer. We’ve all done so many grassroots gigs at this point - we’re really ready for the next stage.
Nicolas: never had the opportunity to have a ritual yet.
Bri: it’s a pre-gig pint, Nic.
Chris: We like to immerse ourselves in the environment in order to be one with the venue and the audience... Which really is just having a pint (or four) and having a chat amongst ourselves at a table somewhere out in the venue.
Which musicians before you have helped shape the music industry and had an impact on your personal development?
Nicolas: Robert Smith, David Bowie, Trent Reznor. Besides loving their actual art, I always loved their approach, as in just do what you feel you need to do, don’t do it to meet someone’s expectations, do it because it’s interesting and/or beautiful to you.
Chris: Chino Moreno. He’s just a pure music fan and his appreciation for just being able to make music at any level is a good mindset to adhere to for me. The reward for making music is the music itself. That being said, it would be great if we didn’t have to work other jobs…
If there were one thing you could change about the music industry, what would it be?
Bri: Gatekeepers and tastemakers can sling their bloody hook.
Nicolas: only one thing? The whole thing.
Chris: Yeah. The whole structure. There are too many unnecessary aspects of it and middlemen looking to take a cut. One thing that really bugs me is the practice of getting support acts to pay headline acts/promoters thousands of pounds for a slot. We’ve been offered the opportunity to support a few sizeable bands, but we just can’t afford to spend £5,000 or whatever for the privilege of it. The system is not built around artists, it’s built around business-minded sociopaths who just want to make money for themselves. That’s what should change.
When you reach the stage where you have the admiration and respect of world-known artists, which 3 bands or artists would you love to call and say, “Let’s go on tour together”?
Bri: I don’t know about this one. I think the process is key here. There’s loads of amazing bands at that stage right now, but by the time we get to that stage our peers will be there too - I’d prefer to be doing it with them! Not to say that we wouldn’t want to go on tour with a bigger band at some point, but the landscape and the players need to change to avoid stagnation.
What is the most inspirational thing a fan or anyone has told or shown you about your music?
Bri: Your sound feels like being devoured by a vampire.
Nicolas: ‘that’s bollocks’. That was Bri’s reply when I said to her all my work was shite.
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared The Silent Era’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.
Now, click the links below to experience their incredible work firsthand!
Check out this latest release and listen to more of The Silent Era on Spotify & YouTube.
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