(Modern Doom Metal / Death Metal) Frailty - Silence Is Everything... [EP] - 2010, APE (image+.cue) lossless

If you were to try and think of bands from Latvia, I doubt if you will be able to name even one band, but there is some good bands from there and Frailty rates as the best I have ever heard from the country. Their "Lost Lifeless Lights" albums was a beautiful Death/Doom Gothic Metal album and the following EP simply titled "EP" was also a great release that didn't just copy the usual Death/Doom style, they actually sound like they are trying to re-invent it in some way. The "Silence Is Everything" EP features three studio tracks and a live version of "Doomed Halls of Damnation". The EP kicks off with "Wendigo", crushing riffs with a huge,thick sound pulverize along side the powerful drumming that is immaculately recorded. The vocals range from deeper than deep death growls to a clean and slightly twisted clean voice, the voice's comes from Martins Lazdans and Edmunds Vizla who is also one of the exceptionally good guitarist's in the band. "Wendigo" is more death than doom but the musicianship and quality production makes this a solid track no matter what genre you care to placed them in.
"Underwater" the second track up is very atmospheric, death growls blend in exquisitely with the keyboards and the constant thump-thump of the rhythm section is hypnotic. The keyboard work on this tune reminds me of Pink Floyd as does elements of the lead guitar work, very melodic and emotionally dynamic. The sound is a little too processed and lacks some raw, live energy that the live track "Doomed Halls Of Damnation" has. "Doomed Halls" shows just what a killer live band "Frailty" is, it shows the band is its raw element although the sound quality of the mix is flawless. Its also the most Doom Metal sounding track on the EP, sinister and melancholic at the same time, the dynamics of the band are endless with the ability to capture and put you in trance. "Doomed Halls Of Damnation" is wonderfully constructed throughout its 13 minutes and never loses its atmospheric intensity. They use the clean voice to display a kind of inner pain and suffering, this is Doom Metal that can make you cry, magical stuff indeed. The other track on "Silence Is Everything" is "Desolated Moors", another 13 minute marvel.
"Desolated Moors" is again a much more gloomy track than the opening two tracks and this is in my opinion where the band really shines, they have a feel for doom but more important have a distinctive approach to composing. They use piano and keyboards to great effect at eight minutes into the track and its also important for me to add, they use the instrument for pure atmospheric sound textures as opposed to just a background noise that thicken up the sound. Its a EP that runs past the 37 minute mark which is a full length album to a lot of other bands anyway so this a very important release for the band, I think the best thing they have ever done. There is no question that the skill of the musicians is imposing but they are selective to how they use their ability which is what make the songs so great. I am sure they could do a lot more within their songs but its simply not needed, the songs are flawless just the way they are. Very impressive. 9.5/10
http://p3licanwebzine.blogspot.com/2010/08/revi...y-silence-is.html

Frailty is a modern doom metal band, from Riga, Latvia, creating and performing dark and disturbing sounds of melancholy and tragedy. Frailty’s music is the reflection of humanity’s sickness, sorrows and coldness expressed through many faced musical approaches starting from influences of early 90ties doom/death metal, slowly evolving into more abstract ambient and ethnic soundscapes. It is a dark journey inside reality’s most unwanted, feared and abhorred aspects, leaving no compromises or hopes. Deeply inspired by mythologies of this world, Frailty tells a story of mystery and tragedy to its ever increasing audience.
The band has released successful debut album “Lost Lifeless Lights” in 2008 under well known Solitude Productions label, specified in doom metal sounds, that got well response all around the world.
Nameless self released EP followed in 2009 – and band got two highest awards on first ever annual Latvian Metal Music Award 2009 – “Best Latvian Metal Band 2009” & “Best Latvian Metal Album 2009”.
One of Frailty’s main goals is to create crushing and memorable live performances – massive and bleak walls of sound from guitars, dark atmospheres from keyboards, crushing drums, bulldozing bass and deep growling vocals sometimes supported by sorrowful and sick cleans.
The stage experience so far is formidable – Frailty acted as support band for Novembre in Vilnius and for Skepticism in Moscow. Frailty’s first album’s presentation was done on Moscow Doom Festival III together with Esoteric, Worship, Comatose Vigil, and Mournful Gust. The band got headline show on The Shadows Doom Festival in Moscow, as well – shared the stage with Dark Tranquillity, Tiamat, Samael, Sepultura, Sinister, Mournful Congregation, Longing for Dawn, Mourning Beloveth, Dark The Suns, Depressed Mode, Soundarcade and many others on local and foreign concerts and festivals.
Currently, Frailty is working on material for their second album, expected to be released somewhere in 2010/2011.
“Silence Is Everything...” is a Promo EP 2010, that shows the way the band is going and what to expect from upcoming album.

Martins - vocals
Edmunds - guitar, bleak voice
Gusts - bass
Lauris - drums
Ivita - keyboards