My Silent Wake
My Silent Wake was formed from the dying embers of Ashen Mortality in May 2005 by Ian Arkley.

Wardance My Silent Wake - Shadow of Sorrow (Bombworks) 2006

1. "Wake" [intro] (1:01)
2. "Shadow Of Sorrow" (8:39)
3. "Burning" (6:10)
4. "Hunting Season" (15:23)
5. "The Mist" (3:01)
6. "In Darkness" (5:28)
7. "Lost" (6:16)
8. "Through Greenest Meadows" (15:01)
9. "Shadow Reprise" (1:34)
BONUS TRACKS
10. "Your Cold Embrace" (9:03)
11. "Encircle" (7:38)

My Silent Wake sounds like it might be the name of some modern metalcore or emo band. In fact, this is far from the truth. My Silent Wake is a gothic doom metal band from England featuring the vocal and guitar talents of Ian Arkley, who has also been the main man behind Seventh Angel and Ashen Mortality, as well as the guitarist for Australian death/doom metallers Paramaecium. Musically, "Shadow of Sorrow" is dark, moody, majestic and melodic, yet still very heavy. Arkley's vocals are mostly of the death metal variety, which normally turns me off almost immediately. I have grown extremely tired of death growls over the years as they all seem to sound the same. However, on "Shadow of Sorrow" they seem to fit perfectly. Clean vocals are also used sparingly. These vocals echo back to the days of Seventh Angel. Actually, some of the music on "Shadow of Sorrow" reminds me of some of the slower, doomier moments on "Lament for the Weary" as well. It's worth noting that "Shadow of Sorrow" is chock full of thoughtful and inspired lyrics as well, that add to the overall appeal of the album. Frankly, I find it hard to put into words exactly how good the music is on this CD. While Ian has been involved in many great projects in the past, My Silent Wake is most definitely one of the best. (That's saying a lot since Seventh Angel's Lament of the Weary is quit simply one of my all time favorite albums.)

I must also make mention of the cover art by Rexorcist, one of my favorite cover artists. Rex has also done covers for Ultimatum, Seventh Angel and Tourniquet, among others.

Melancholy My Silent Wake - The Anatomy of Melacholy (Bombworks) 2007

DISC ONE
First Volume
1. Finio (0:19)
2. The Dying Things We're Living For (6:42)
3. Severed (7:13)
4. Heretic (11:51)
5. Into Silence (8:01)
6. Wobe [instrumental] (1:29)
7. Sullen Earth (11:50)
8. Sturm (5:57)

DISC TWO
Last Volume
1. The Anatomy of Melancholy (4:23)
2. Revolution (6:23)
3. In the Glow of the Autumn Sun (4:53)
4. Look Beyond the Flesh, Look Beyond the Mind (2:52)
5. Dying (1:26)
6. Oceans of Time (2:23)
7. A Photograph (7:29)
8. To Bid Farewell (3:56)
9. Storm (7:56)

Sophomore full-length release from British doom/death metal band My Silent Wake, the brainchild of guitarist Ian Arkley. "The Anatomy of Melancholy" is a double-CD release and features two volumes. Volume one continues where "Shadow of Sorrow" left off; melodic doom metal with a mixture of death and traditional style vocals. Comparisons to Paradise Lost, Opeth and Candlemass wouldn't be too far off. The songs are mostly epic length and are fairly progressive and complex. Though the compositions are mostly long, the songs never get tiring to listen to, nor does the overall album sound too same-y. From the doom metal of "The Dying Thing" to the melodic death metal and black metal influences of "Into Silence", the songwriting captures the attention and holds it. "Heretic" is a dark and melancholy doom metal monster that starts off with a haunting vibe that builds to a full doom/death onslaught. The song ebbs and flows from the more quiet and haunting moments to the heavier moments, melding eerie piano passages with heavy guitar parts. "Wobe" is a short instrumental that sounds like a guitar having a conversation with whales underwater and acts as an intro into the nearly twelve minute epic "Sullen Earth". 

The second one is full of mostly acoustic-based music and is somewhat reminiscent of "Damnation" by Opeth.  The whole thing has a gothic-meets-folk feel. The death growls of disc one are completely absent, replaced with clean male and female vocals. The title of the album is a good description of the music on this disc the overall sound is quite dark and melancholy. While I didn't delve deep into the lyrics, the songs seem to explore the deep despair and searching that humanity experiences. While disc one is one that I enjoyed jamming in my car as I zipped down the freeway, disc two is much too moody for that. I found it to be more enjoyable as I lay back at home and relax to the melancholy sounds. 

Originally released in 2007, Bombworks Records re-issued "The Anatomy of Melancholy". The CD is digitally remastered and is wrapped in a six-panel digi-pak. 

A Garland of Tears My Silent Wake - A Garland of Tears (Bombworks/Thrashing Rage) 2008

1. "Tunnels" (11:20)
2. "Cruel Grey Skies" (8:07)
3. "Pendulum" [instrumental] (2:34)
4. "By My Own Hand" (8:23)
5. "Fall of the Flightless" (9:57)
6. "Fallen Leaves" (3:33)
7. "Wilderness of Thorns" (8:02)

SIDE A
1. "Tunnels"
2. "By My Own Hand"
3. "Pendulum" [instrumental]
SIDE B
4. "Fall of the Flightless"
5. "Fallen Leaves"
6. "Wilderness of Thorns"

BONUS 7"
SIDE A
1. "Cruel Grey Skies"
SIDE B
2. "Shadow of Sorrow" [live]

Red & black 12" vinyl

"A Garland of Tears" is slow, dark, brooding, moody, gothic-tinged doom metal album with hints of death metal mixed in. Ian Arkley and Co. blend together unique melodies, that are both haunting and infectious at the same time. While the CD only boasts seven songs, most of the tracks clock in at over eight minutes in length. The entire album has that grandiose, epic feel to it. Over the years I have grown weary of death metal vocals. Quite frankly they don't offer much variety and tend to be monotonous. However, with everything I have heard from My Silent wake thus far, I have really enjoyed the vocals, including the deathly growls. There is a hint of female vocals throughout, mostly mixed as background vocals that really adds to the overall atmosphere of the music. As well, the clean vocals are done quite well.

Some may remember that Ian Arkley spent some time in Australian death/doom metal band Paramaecium. Some of that feel has come into Ian's music here as well. While the music for the most part is heavy doom, there are peaks and valleys. There are plenty of heavy, downtuned riffs throughout, but you'll find much more than that. For example, short instrumental "Pendulum" is a delicate celtic piece featuring what sounds like a piccolo or possibly a recorder.

The lyrics here are pretty dark, with deep thoughts on depression and even suicide. However, the band offers their thoughts is a well-thought out and poetic way. To make the point perfectly clear that they are not promoting suicide, Ian offers a bit of commentary on the inside cover of the CD.

Besides the Bombworks CD version, there is also a limited edition vinyl version on Thrashing Rage Productions. The vinyl was released on 10/21/2008 and is limited to 312 copies all with a free 7" bonus single with "Cruel Grey Skies" and the live bonus track "Shadow of Sorrow. The first 100 came on red and black vinyl, the rest are black. All handnumbered with a certificate.

Black Lights... My Silent Wake/The Drowning - Black Lights & Silent Roads (Bombworks) 2010

My Silent Wake
1. I Am (Eternity) (5:44)
2. Bleak Endless Winter (5:580
3. Devoid Of Light (6:03)
4. Rebirth (23:31)
The Drowning
5. The Doomsday Feire (10:41)
6. Arc Light (8:45)
7. Silent Epiphany (4:53)
8. A Photograph (7:40)

"Black Lights & Silent Roads" is the new split CD from My Silent Wake and The Drowning, both doom bands from the UK. My Silent Wake is a well establish band already having several full length albums out on Bombworks Records. The Drowning have been around for a few years as well, releasing several independent albums. The dueling bands battling for place on the CD here have been friends for several years, sharing the stage together many times. What we are presented with is an album that demonstrates the creativity and individuality of each band, even though both bands are of the same musical genre. Each band contributes several new original songs while paying homage to their relationship by each covering a song from the other. This is a great concept and one that more bands should explore.

My Silent Wake starts off the first four songs starting with a cover of Attrition's "I Am (Eternity)", including guest female vocals from Attrition. Not being familiar with the original, I can't say how this song compares to the original, but I can say that had I not read that this was a cover, I would have assumed it was a My Silent Wake original. They also do an acoustic cover of The Drowning's "Devoid of Light". Despite being a melancholy, acoustic track, the song is still very dark and has a heavy vibe. The other two songs are new with "Rebirth", clocking in at over 23 minutes. This song alone is worth the price of the disc. Twenty three minutes of epic, dark, intricate, slightly progressive doom metal. This is probably the most diverse track that Ian Arkley and crew have recorded thus far. The song weaves a musical tapestry with it's melodic songwriting, crushing riffs, death vocals and superb production. 

The Drowning finish off the CD with the remaining four tracks. "The Doomsday Fieire" is a slow, heavy, moody song and probably my favorite on the disc. This too is an epic length song clocking in at over ten minutes long. They cover My Silent Wake's "A Photograph" from their "Anatomy of Melacholy" CD. Unfortunately that is the one My Silent Wake CD that I do not own, so once again I cannot really give an accurate comparison of the tracks. From what I have read, that CD is an acoustic album, but The Drowning's cover is crushingly heavy  death/doom. As such, I am sure the two songs stand in stark contrast. The song does fit in nicely with the other three originals. 

"Black Lights & Silent Roads" is a collection of absolutely brilliant, slow, moody death/doom metal and is highly recommended to anyone who can appreciate the genre. Each new listen will reveal more and more to the listener, as it did for me. 

Silver Under Midnight My Silent Wake - Silver Under Midnight (Bombworks) 2013

1. Midnight [instrumental] (1:50)
2. Destroyer (8:30)
3. The Last Man (3:53)
4. Oblivion (5:27)
5. My Killer (5:41)
6. Wars (4:37)
7. Third Season (14:24)

Released simultaneously with a European vinyl acoustic album titled "Acoustic Collection", "Silver Under Midnight" is a CD release on U.S. Bombworks Records. The CD features nine songs of heavy and atmospheric music that is hard to neatly fit under one genre tag. While they definitely play their own style of doom, there is much more to it than just Sabbath chords and slow tempos. My Silent Wake main-man Ian Arkley combines elements of gothic, folk and ambient music as well. Joining Ian in the studio is drummer Mark Henry and Kate Hamilton, who performs bass and dulcimer. Arkley brings a mixture of gutteral and clean vocals to the mix, as well as all guitars and some assorted keyboards and percussion. 

This album is all about mood. It weaves a musical tapestry that is dark and atmospheric. The album opens with a brief instrumental that's acts as an introduction to the brutally heavy "Destroyer". The song features some heavy Sabbath-inspired riffs, but the other influences are woven into the song as well, creating a roller coaster of emotions as the eight minute song rolls along. From this song on, the roller coaster of emotions continues to go up and down from the pummeling heavy metal of "Oblivion" to the epic fourteen minute opus that closes out the album. ("Oblivion" actually has a feel not unlike Seventh Angel's "Lament for the Weary".)  

Much like the music, the lyrics are a myriad of thoughts, making observations of humanity and the human condition. It makes for some thought provoking moments. Coupled with outstanding production that includes beefy guitar tones and audible bass guitar, "Silver Under Midnight" may very well be My Silent Wake's finest moment yet. It's a piece of musical art that cannot be broken down into singles and songs. Each song is as important as the next in painting the picture. "Silver Under Midnight" is not just a doom metal album, it's a musical journey. 

My Silent Wake/Pylon My Silent Wake / Pÿlon - Empyrean Rose (Roxx) 2013

My Silent Wake
1.   Tower Walk [instrumental] (2:23) 
2.   Tearing Worlds Apart (7:46)
3.   Mirrored (2:30)
4.   NDE Part 2 (13:10)
5.   Welcome To The Village [instrumental] (4:36)
Pylon
6.   Doomstone 2013 (7:07)
7.   Droid (4:37)
8.   Falling Into The Sun (7:12)
9.   By Loving Forces (8:40)
10. Golden Voice (4:15)
11. Post Tenebras Lux [instrumental] (1:02)

"Empyrean Rose" unites UK band My Silent Wake with Swiss band Pylon. Though both bands are generally labeled doom metal, their sounds and styles are very different from one another.

My Silent Wake are a blend of styles, instruments and textures. To describe them as doom really doesn't do them justice. The five songs included here have elements of doom metal, but there is so much more going on. The opening track "Tower Walk" is a mellow, acoustic guitar instrumental with a celtic feel.  "NDE Part 2" sounds like Hawkwind with the addition of a death metal vocalist. "Tearing Worlds Apart" is a heavy number, though even this songs has peaks and valleys. There are times when the song is heavy and driving and other times when the mood of the song is light, and atmospheric. This is pretty much true of all of My Silent Wake's songs. My Silent Wake's contribution to this EP ends with an ambient number titled "Welcome to the Village". The song features church bells ringing and the sound of birds chirping as an underlying, dark feel builds with keyboards. My Silent Wake are less about doom and more about creating moods.

Pylon are straight-foward doom metal with a nod to bands like Candlemass and Pentagram. "Doomstone 2013" is a newly recorded version of the song that was originally recored on their 2009 album "Doom". The song features vocalist Jordan Cutajar who also laid down some vocals on the band's last album "The Harrowing of Hell". Jordan's vocals really add something special to Pÿlon's sound. Guitarist Matt Brand lays down vocals for the remaining tracks. "Falling Into the Sun" is one heavy song. Though the song moves along at snail pace, it's heavy and churning, almost like a slow moving locomotive. This song is actually a remixed version of the song that originally appeared on the bands 2006 album "The Eternal Wedding Band". "By Loving Forces" and "Golden Voice" are both along the lines of "Falling Into the Sun"; slow, heavy, dark and doomy. The EP ends with a short, somber guitar instrumental titled "Post Tenebras Lux".

Despite the vast style differences between these two bands, the songs on "Empyrean Rose" still flow well from beginning to end. The entire album paints a somber mood with a musical tapestry. I found myself enjoying it as a full album rather than two short EPs. 

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