“Harnessed in a field of darkened souls.”
Pittsburgh’s 156/Silence have been steadily carving a space for themselves in the wider metalcore scene since they signed with SharpTone Records in 2020. In the time since, the group has shown a commitment to evolving their sound, delivering two full-length albums and an EP (Irrational Pull, Narrative, and Don’t Hold Your Breath) that each pushed their musical boundaries in different ways. The past few months have seen 156 continue to channel this ethos, putting out a compelling run of singles in support of their new record, People Watching.
Released this past April, leadoff single “Unreasonable Doubt” immediately piqued interest and distinguished itself from the rest of 156’s discography with the incorporation of sung vocals. A master wordsmith with a distinctly hip-hop inspired cadence, frontman Jack Murray delivers one of the most dynamic vocal performances of the year on People Watching. His flow is relentless, both rhythmic and unpredictable, and an effective vehicle for the record’s weighty and dismal lyricism. The power and clarity in his delivery is a carefully coordinated act of violence, executed with killer precision. His stretch of vocals that kicks off the latter half of “Unreasonable Doubt” is perhaps his most impressive run on the record, and is enough to leave you wondering how he can possibly find the time to breathe when he goes off like that. But as impressive as his prowess as a harsh vocalist is, it’s when Murray’s piercing clean vocals cut in to break up those heavier sections that it becomes clear that 156 are tapping into something special.
There will always be that subset of fans in the heavy music world that bemoans the moment a band starts using clean vocals. But Murray is already a standout vocalist—albeit an underrated one—and expanding his range as a performer and songwriter feels like a necessary step towards further elevating and pushing the boundaries of the group’s sound. The unrelenting heaviness that defines “Unreasonable Doubt” and much of the rest of the record is offset and soothed by its more melodic side. Murray intersperses his trademark screams with mesmeric crooning on single“Better Written Villain,” a song that takes literary inspiration from Orwell’s Animal Farm. The crescendo and ensuing climactic peak in the track’s final stretch is my favorite moment on the entire record, as Murray belts against a backdrop of guitarist Ryan Wilkinson’s responsive harsh vocals before closing with a short outro. (“You never lifted your curse, I’m only making it worse, Hell finds a place where it hurts” / “How’s it feel? How’s it feel not to feel at all?”)
156’s newfound melodic elements aside, People Watching still manages to be dark, atmospheric, unsettling, and crushingly heavy. One of the group’s greatest strengths on display with this record is their ability to fluidly move between each facet of their sound, and the variety of soundscapes explored across its runtime makes for an enthralling and cinematic listening experience. First track “Character Development (Cold Start)” opens with a line sampled from sci-fi thriller Ex Machina (“is it strange to have made something that hates you?”). A prominent groovy riff is the driving force for the opener but it soon makes way for downtuned panic-stricken guitars, monstrous drum fills, and a volatile showing from Murray, before circling back into that initial groove. While the switch from heady and vibey, to unrepentantly vicious and back again might be jarring at first, those moments of whiplash add to the general sense of unease that permeates People Watching. “Character Development”’s final breakdown is a brief yet brutal affair, and the immediate transition into the biting “Target Acquired” is a seamless one. A siren blares out during the track’s opening moments and bouncy riffs get the head bobbing before Murray digs in to put his vocal acrobatics on display.
Along with his notable screamed cadence and recently unearthed singing abilities, Murray also keeps an oft-used spoken word delivery as part of his repertoire. Industrialized electronics form the backdrop for subdued spoken word vocals on “Blood Loss” before the shackles are unleashed and Carson Pace (of mathcore darlings The Callous Daoboys) brings his particular brand of unbridled chaos into play. Following from there, “Wants I Need” sees another feature, as Craig Owens (Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, Chiodos) uses his iconic voice to bridge into the scathing “Funeral Arrangements” in another whiplash-inducing vibe shift. The shortest cut on the record (not including its two interludes in “Sleep Spikes” and “Intravenous”), title track “People Watching” almost feels like an interlude itself as it leans into its eerie and spacious soundscape with more spoken vocals and an ominous, sludgy bass. The vocals drop and distort in the song’s closing moments before “Change Agent” makes its full throttle entrance. Murray and Wilkinson come to blows with Trae Roberts as the Mouth for War frontman lends his distinctive voice to help close the track out in explosive fashion, clearing the way for the album’s closing stretch.
Penultimate track “Terms and Conditions” is furious and resentful as Murray steadily seethes over swarming guitars. There is a bit of an ebb and flow to the track’s energy as it seems to continuously build and build. But the moment the dam breaks is not quite as catastrophic as expected. Instead, you’re dropped into sparse electronics with Murray repeatedly singing “you push me right out of view”—and then destruction ensues, as the band re-enters and Wilkinson again brings his backing screams into the fold before the track fades into the next. Finale “Healing Process (Leave of Absence)” feels like a natural continuation of “Terms and Conditions” as the clean vocals return in a slow and haunting fashion. They are short-lived however, as some proper crunchy riffing kicks in to jump-start the track. Murray moves fluidly between his sung and screamed vocals, expertly guiding the way through the ever-shifting soundscape. “Healing Process”’ final crescendo and breakdown is downright apocalyptic in nature, feeling almost claustrophobic with its swelling instrumentals and layered vocals before abruptly switching to one final sung outro.
156/Silence makes a strong case as dark horse candidates for Album of the Year with their best release yet in People Watching. From vocal performances that demand your attention, to the jagged riffing, muddied bass tones, pummeling percussion, and brooding synth work lurking in the shadows of the record, it truly feels like a complete and fully-realized album experience. While the group has been putting in work for nearly a decade now with a number of releases under their belt, they’ve managed to stay relatively under the radar and underrated. But if there is a time for 156/Silence to finally break through and make their way to the forefront of the scene, it’s now.
9.5/10
People Watching is set to release this Friday September 13th via SharpTone Records. You can find pre-orders and merch for the record, as well as tickets for 156/Silence’s ongoing supporting run on the Signs of the Swarm tour here.