Customer Reviews

End of Silence: Demos

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I have to agree with the other reviewer who said that End of Silence: Demos is better than the finished album. However, I don't think the casual listener would appreciate this album without having listened to the finished album for context first. Of the two, I have to say I enjoy the demos more. It's a fresh take on a collection of songs that have shown up on several live albums, but benefit from a certain amount of studio polish. You can certainly tell that the band is playing fast and loose with the material but they never veer off track. Amazing syncopation between Haskett, Cain and Weiss. Rollins is practically tearing his vocals out of his throat and the passion sits right on the surface. "Almost Real" benefits most from the frenetic pace. The relationship drama played out in the lyrics spits more aggression and venom than in the more plodding album version. Even a meandering saxophone solo in the middle of it doesn't remove the sting. "Another Life" is also infused with a greater sense of urgency. And even though the demo version of the track is good, the live version of the track on the second disc is more improvisational and better. Fans of Rollins band will find a lot to dig into here. A sharp and concentrated recording from the peak of the cutthroat delivery.

The End of Silence: Demos is way better than the original album that the Rollins Band released in 1992. While that album suffered from a lot of songs that went on too long, the demos cut out the fat. The songs are shorter and the performances are more raw and passionate even if the songs don't quite swing as much as on the original. Henry's vocals are much looser here than on the original where it seems he was being held back. Andrew Weiss's bass playing is way up in the mix and he plays like a freaking monster, especially on the track "Grip." Sim Cain's drumming is thunderous, particularly on "Obscene", and Chris Haskett's already stellar riffs are killer, especially on the heavier tracks. The songs that sound lethargic on the original album ("Blues Jam", "Just like You", "What Do You Do?") are given new life while already strong cuts like "Tearing" and "Almost Real" are downright wicked. Other highlights include "Almost Real" which has some cool sax playing during the breakdown and the previously unreleased track "Human." All told, The End of Silence: Demos, now available in its raw form, ranks just behind Weight as their best work. I would like to thank ifutureman for correctly informing that it was Andrew Weiss that played bass on this album, not Melvin Gibbs, who joined after this album and tour.