Silverburn is the solo project of James ‘Jimbob’ Isaac. The Welsh metal visionary began this journey during the cruel lockdown winter of 2020. It has been said that extreme conditions demand extreme responses, and ‘Self Induced Transcendental Annihilation’ (SITA) began as an elemental response to the almighty global gut-punch that surrounded it’s creation. With this album, Isaac has meticulously crafted a wholly uncompromising solo offering in the truest sense. Spirit Metal, Quantum Thrash, Metaphysical Post-sludgecore… call it what you will, this album takes zero prisoners. A true dark night of the soul, in stereo. Having written, constructed and finalised each song at his digital home studio within a self-allotted twelve month time frame, Isaac then proceeded to practice and actualise the live drumming over the twelve months that followed. The two and a half year creative journey then culminated in the recording studio where JB committed each live instrument to tape with producer Gethin Pearson at his Institute of Sonic Architecture studios in Wales, in January 2023.
‘SITA’ is a healing rite of passage. A hero’s metallic journey of total annihilation, rebirth and healing through fire. With Isaac’s legacy traversing his former bands Taint and Hark, this solo album marks a shift forward from his tried, tested and influential ‘stoner rock/post-hardcore/prog-sludge’ template. Whilst followers and fans of his signature roots may take some surprise over the hard hitting direction of Silverburn, the DNA of these songs resides firmly within Isaac’s authentic canon of influences. From the world-ending double-kick maelstrom of opening track ‘Annihilation’ to the cinematic, discordant chug and release of ‘Etheric Crush’ this album draws from Isaac’s beloved eras of 90’s metal and 2000’s metallic hardcore/math/noisecore/space/sludge metal.
While ‘SITA’ is centred around the almighty chug and more of Isaac’s signature discordancy, he also continues his innate thirst for swing, groove and gargantuan tempo drops along side the barrage of on-point bludgeon. With the nexus of Isaac’s song craft stemming from his drumming heart this record is laden with seismic rhythm shifts, breeze-block riffing, prog-punk twang and heart breaking wide screen melody/melancholy. In an era where stock pentatonic has become passé and so-called ‘prog’ has already dated, Silverburn smashes with apocalyptic vitality and kinetic spirit. Isaac’s lyrical matter spans multi-dimensionality, Jungian themes of psychology/philosophy, the void and spiritual rebirth. Equally primordial, visceral, transcendent, healing and defiant. As album closer ‘Bathe In Fire’ decrees.. “Your false appearance, crumbling facade, it withers away…My energy rises, immersed in fire”.
