Then Comes Silence – Machine

The self-styled “Swedish captains of post-punk,” Then Comes Silence have been making music since 2012. Although the band’s earlier records were far rawer in production, sounding a bit more bombastic and akin to something like Killing Joke, the third album, III – Nyctophilian was much closer to the group’s current sound as it began to channel the fuzzy, deep bass lines that would eventually solidify the band as a post-punk force that shouldn’t be ignored. Following a tour with Fields of the Nephilim in 2018 and a shift in the band’s line up, 2020’s Machine is an excellent offering that shows the maturation of a very distinctive sound. “We Lose the Night” is destined to get stuck in many heads for it’s a catchy, danceable, and compelling opener that establishes a great tone for the rest of the record. Machine feels better assembled than previous records and is very tightly mastered; the instruments are prominent without overshadowing the smoky vocals from Alex Svenson, which don’t stray too far from the same modality, but that’s okay as anything else would likely feel at odds with the dark mood of the record. The bass line is as heavy and powerful as a riptide on “I Gave You Everything,” an unrelenting anthem of personal doom that’s one of the best songs on the album. Each vibrating thrum of the bass is a step further down into the gloom before hitting the chorus and launching up into a flash of frustration. This alternating up-and-down of music, vocals, and lyrics is a great demonstration of the band’s talent. Then Comes Silence can rest comfortably alongside Clan of Xymox, Rosetta Stone, and Bauhaus. Svenson’s vocals stray from David Bowie to Peter Murphy to Andrew Eldritch, well paired with the soaring notes of guest vocalist Karolina Engdahl on the track “Ritual.” Musically and lyrically, the record is a foggy glass of cold water on a frigid autumn morning, all at once sobering and comforting. A nostalgic listening experience sure to remind many of The Cure at its best, Machine is an unmissable entry in the annals of goth/rock and/or post-punk.

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1.     We Lose The Night
2.     Devil
3.     Dark End
4.     I Gave You Everything
5.     Ritual
6.     Apocalypse Flare
7.     W.O.O.O.U.
8.     In Your Name
9.     Glass
10.  Kill It
11.  Cuts Inside