Metalcatto
Two things seem evident to me now. One: that you’re all hyped up about Looking Glass Hymnal Blue. Two: that The Silver really likes the color blue. This eclectic project likes to defy labels, which always sits well with me. However, that doesn’t mean we automatically roll out the red carpet at MER. You could get a boot in the face any day. Just know that before you send us your stuff. Now that this information is clear, let’s start.
Alright, Looking Glass Hymnal Blue is no joke. The album blends Post, Black, and Prog in a way that is, how to say it, The Silver way. It’s not only impressive that the band manages to blend all these styles together, but also how it writes emotional, engaging, and brutal tracks one after the other without giving us a break. Who cares, though? You don’t need one when the riffs are this good. The momentum carries you through like a current you can’t fight, so you just surrender and enjoy the ride. The pacing is deliberate without being sluggish, and the shifts between genres feel organic rather than forced. Nothing here sounds like it was stitched together in a lab.
There are a lot of layers here. You could listen to this thing a few times and still need to come back. It’s almost as if Heretoir and Kardashev had a band together and decided to throw a Black Metal coat over everything. There’s a lot of traditional Black Metal elements present—tremolo picking, blast beats, that cold atmospheric dread—but they’re just the cherry on top of a cake that has so much chocolate, it’ll send all your pets to the hospital. Don’t even try, okay? Despite its substantial length, there’s no filler here. Nothing signals attrition or boredom.
Buah, I don’t know, people. Maybe the clean vocals can alienate some of you. I get it. There are transitions between the harsh and soft parts that could annoy certain listeners who prefer their aggression undiluted. But honestly, if you’re okay with enduring something a little more dreamy than usual, I don’t see what the problem is. The cleans aren’t there to soften the blow; they’re there to give the brutality context. Sure, the tracks demand your attention. They’re not just an easy play; they’re an adventure. So you do need the right mood and attention span. Good luck with that last part. Most of you are scrolling while reading this.
Alright, you’ve convinced me. Looking Glass Hymnal Blue is the real deal. Not many super projects can pull off this level of stylistic whiplash without falling apart, but The Silver definitely did this time. This is the longest streak of super positive reviews I’ve given in the short history of this blog. I expect the next few weeks to be full of horror, and not the good kind. It’s just statistics. The balance must be restored. But for now, enjoy this one. It deserves the hype.
Label: Gilead Media
Release date: March 26th, 2026
Website: https://thesilver.bandcamp.com/
Country: USA
Score: 4.0/5.0
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