
*This review was composed by Brandon Allin and edited by Erik van Rheenen
Ask around for opinions on a heavy act, and the feedback you receive will more than likely be split right down the middle. Many will criticize outfits for being little more than generic, paint-by-numbers carbon copies of their peers, while others will glorify those very same bands for technical wizardry or sheer brutality. Whatever the consensus, it’s no secret that in heavy music, you simply can’t please everyone.
Silverstein and August Burns Red, two of the more beloved outfits in their respective genres, have finally joined forces to release Four Minutes Being Cool, a two-song split 7” in celebration of Record Store Day 2013. Opting to perform cover songs instead of original material, the veteran quintets pay tribute to a pair of revered emo outfits in The Get Up Kids and Saves The Day. An unlikely release of sorts, but a breath of fresh air all the same.
Fans of the originals will immediately be taken aback, as both cuts have been retooled and reimagined, falling more in line the bulk of each band’s back catalogue than their source material. Silverstein’s take on “Coming Clean,” a track pulled from The Get Up Kids’ debut full-length, Four Minute Mile, is admirable, as well as devoid of any screaming. Lead vocalist Shane Told sounds as crisp as ever, while guitarists Paul Marc Rousseau and Josh Bradford do a wonderful job of infusing Matt Pryor and company’s riffs with a welcome jolt of energy.
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