Mexicali Band Silent Releases 'Modern Hate'

Speaker 1: 00:00 Mexicali based post-punk band silent wrote a new album inspired by the propagation of hate. They saw starting with rhetoric about the U S Mexico wall. The album is called modern hate and a KPBS arts editor and producer Julia Dixon Evans brings us the story. Speaker 2: 00:18 Mexicali based post-punk band silence. Latest album begins with the end, the hypnotic opening track called M the driving sizzling base only has a few seconds to set the dark mood before the guitar kicks in. It's somewhere between a surf rock glissando and a metal, Then vocalist John sing takes over his voice is crystal clean and sharp edged, but still somehow Speaker 3: 01:26 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 01:28 Modern hate is the sophomore release from silent just released on San Diego label of three one G it packs a punch that's as haunting and brooding, as it is spitting and incensed. The album title is part of image part twist. The David Bowie's 1983 Anthem modern love inspiration. First struck on tour. When Trump announced he was building the wall, here's the lead singer for a silent Youngs. Speaker 3: 01:56 I remember when I was, when I wrote handsome the wall, we were on the road in the van, and we, me listening to MPR in the statement came when radio, and we will listen to what he said. And I remember roto, our bass player was driving. So like, this is crazy. It's like, it's about the wall, man. [inaudible] Speaker 2: 02:40 Everyone in the van was enraged and switch the radio to music, but sing couldn't let go. He climbed to the backseat, opened his laptop and began to write hands on the wall. Speaker 3: 02:59 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 03:02 The track is dark and angry, rooted in the experience of living on the other side of that wall and watching an ancient sort of hate bubble to the surface. And you Speaker 3: 03:23 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 03:23 Prompted not just by the wall or toxicity and American immigration politics, but by other places he saw hate Speaker 3: 03:33 Is happening everywhere. Speaker 2: 03:35 The Las Vegas mass shooting that would happen shortly after he began writing the album, drug cartel violence in Mexico, racism and white supremacy, or even toxic relationships. Speaker 3: 03:58 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 03:58 One song, a new slave sprang from the difficulties of recovering from an abusive, toxic relationship. The track is highly personal to sing. After an 11 year partnership dissolved, he realized he needed to heal before moving on to someone else or he'd risk looking for the next thing to make him feel that same way. Speaker 3: 04:37 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 04:40 The pandemic slowed things down and caused a temporary closure for the bar. Singh owns small bar in Mexicali, like most small business owners. He struggled financially trying to keep the business afloat while closed, and didn't have us government relief checks or funding to fall back on. On top of this was the psychological struggle that came from the loss of music, whether it rehearsing and writing with their band or touring and performing Speaker 3: 05:16 [inaudible]. Speaker 2: 05:16 There are sound hints that acts like savages, Nick cave editors, or even Depeche mode that silent can't quite be pinned down to comparisons. Sings voice is a motive and insistent. And despite the darkness and anger in the lyrics, the overall Sonic effect takes on a more tragic beauty later in the album. Death is not an option adds a more classic punk energy Speaker 3: 05:53 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 05:55 While the witness draws on the timelessness and the atrics of dark wave Speaker 3: 06:14 [inaudible], Speaker 4: 06:14 We have to be more like, like more brutal and a little bit more aggressive, but at the same time, try like to sound more mature. And my singing try to improve my singing of, of the, this record, like indie guitars, more melodic, and would try the, the process would be more like, I don't know, like more fine or more like elegant, but we not losing the strength or the pump, you know, Speaker 2: 06:41 Despite all the fury, there's a lot of humanity and a little hope in the common grief. The sound is never too much or never relentless spotlighted by the albums closer, no heaven. Speaker 3: 07:01 [inaudible] Speaker 2: 07:02 In the final minute, the music cuts out completely while Singh's voice hangs over the silence. It's almost coral with a tremulous vibrato, but also kind of fearful Speaker 3: 07:39 [inaudible] that's KPBS arts editor and producer Julia Dickson Evans modern hate the new album by the Mexicali based band. Silent is out now.