Silverstein

Arrivals & Departures

{4/5}

Considering the depths screamo has sunk to in recent years, it’s worth noting that Silverstein are one of the more legit bands to incorporate screaming over pop-punk riffing and occasional hardcore breakdowns. The Burlington, Ontario, quintet are the workmen of the genre: Not too cheesy (Hawthorne Heights) or cliché-ridden (the current Rise Records roster), they’re both credible and cool. And it’s this earnestness, combined with a hell of a knack for writing hooks that makes the band’s third album shine. “Worlds Apart” will be a show-stopper for the rest of their career; “If You Could See Into My Soul” finds the group branching out musically into a harder alt-rock format; and the back-to-back “The Sand Will Turn To Glass” and “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” sound like Rise Against if Tim McIlrath sang about girls instead of revolutions. While it would be nice to hear more technical shredding from the band’s two guitarists, the impeccable vocal harmonies spread throughout Arrivals & Departures more than make up for it. (VICTORY ) Scott Heisel