SILENT ERA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRNO

passion and a desire to express poignant. Even just the concept hope. It is an even extension. of acknowledging people’s poleased as the ultimate potion. On

Matt Badenhop’s watery riffs sit sitions counter back, the fullness “Silent Era is one of the more col- calls into question the existence laborative bands I’ve played with,” of prisons, police, the concept says Hill. “We all share our insights of punishment, and struggles into arrangement, editing, and around power.” texture. Our aesthetic and moral directions are on a fairly common The record ends with the expanwavelength and collaboration sive “Future Dreams,” a number feels very nurturing.” equal in grief and joy. Silent Era Eight songs on Rotate The Mirror lay ing so, play for everyone. “The classic in their incantation. Each revolution’s inside you,” Hill sings step of the way, a building of spells as the band wraps its support and angst, and then a recognition around her. Great bands have a of the space the band has formed. knack of sacrificing themselves, if In this way it is a path. To a new only for a second. world perhaps, this is a band that enacts a charged spirit, a dose of “I’d like to state the themes at work in reality to the moment we’re living the process of making this record,” in. The group asks if we have a say Hill adds. “The search for equilibin our future. Does anyone? rium and harmony, understanding “This is the first time I actually am aren’t facts, that stories can be angry about the vote I feel I will rewritten, and that all persons have to cast later this year,” Hill carry within them the potential for explains. “And since the personal transformative growth.” of this record feel particularly Sounds like a way forward. ��

INTERVIEW WITH BASSIST JULIA BOOZ-ULLREY, VOCALIST MICHELLE HILL, DRUMMER GREG HARVESTER, AND GUITARIST MATT BADENHOP BY CHRISTOPHER J. HARRINGTON

Oakland’s Silent Era balance “I’ll imagine the snare drum as message and resonance, a cop’s face, or the cymbals as bouncing around possible the racist Baptists I grew up with,” directions with a heart for togeth- notes drummer Greg Harvester. erness. The band is the thing. And “I think struggle is inherent to all through this thing, an energy is re- music.” their latest record, Rotate The Mir- It’s the noticeable aspect to Silent ror, out September 15 via Nervous Era’s sound, a grouped joy shimIntent Records, the quickness of mering through each member’s their movement parallels the anger particular feelings. The music is through which they show their love. direct and yet abstract. Guitarist “I would say most of our songs are linear to Michelle Hill’s loose hopeful and about envisioning a vocals. Ullrey and Badenhop sit better world,” says bassist Julia back as the foundation, a stone Booz-Ullrey, “seeing a way through quarry of two, holding things as and believing in each other.” one. As riffs ring out and compois political, I’d say the politics tential for transformative growth play for each other, and in dothat feelings, however important,

And the impetus for such commu- and support is clear. There is nion is the ultimate in transformation. anger that is reinforced by com-