Misery Made Me Sale New

Post-hardcore lifers Silverstein don’t sugarcoat hard truths. That’s been true across the Canadian band’s previous studio albums, but it’s especially so on this new music. On the fist-pumping leadoff track “Our Song,” vocalist Shane Told speaks directly to anyone feeling downtrodden and hopeless: “Misery made me/Nothing can break me down.” Misery Made Me’s guest vocalists are just as reluctant to find a silver lining. Comeback Kid vocalist Andrew Neufeld adds a cynical tone to the bracing hardcore highlight “Die Alone,” while the Massachusetts rapper nothing,nowhere. voices anxiety on the thrashing screamo chaos of “Live Like This.” Yet Misery Made Me also proves that Silverstein understands there are many ways beyond punk and hardcore to express misery. “The Altar/Mary” includes howling breakdowns, trap beats, and a solemn outro with distorted vocals, while “Cold Blood” is meditative emo-pop heavy on keyboards.