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“Incredibly emotional and up in your face; but undeniably melodic and pleasing to the ear” (www.battleofthebands.com), This Awkward Silence delivers a rock-solid and catchy sound with sharp-edged lyrics like, “You ever notice that your words choke me like razor wire? / Save it for the fire.” from the second track on their demo CD, Save it for the Fire.
A relatively new band formed in 2004 by friends who recognized the quality of one another’s music and the compatibility of their styles, This Awkward Silence pays homage to the influences of the past while reveling in their individuality. As Matt Kruger says, “Our music is a fresh wave from the worlds of metal and screamo. Yes, we have influences from the genres; however, we like to take those influences and mix them in with our own style to create something totally unique.”
“You know, for the longest time I never imagined I would ever end up being in a band that had ‘catchy’ lyrics. But ever since I dove into popular music and such, I can't get out. The way this music that we play makes me feel is amazing, enthuses Jeff Jones, lead guitarist, “Everyone can connect to it and it’s almost like we’re all one big family.”
The band has played 14 local shows and one in Pennsylvania. Four of the shows sold out, and one was for a respectable crowd of 1,200 rocking fans. Of them all, Vans Warped Tour 2005 definitely sticks out. They all agree it was an invigorating experience which intensified their ambition to become a band that matters.
“The Vans Warped Tour for us was like our first step to taking that next step. It put us up there for a day with all of the bands that we all love and to get a taste of what it would be like to be doing that every night. Ever since we played Warped Tour I can't stop wanting to be on every single date.....but on the Main Stage instead,” Jeff quips.
Brandon Chapman believes in the music. “Our songs hit on a more emotional level. People have the urge to sing along. We’re about relationships, bad or good, but always with an element of struggle and survival.”
The music takes the small things, such as described in the song Save It for the Fire, and transforms them. Brandon Edmonds describes the song as, “about someone who is getting on your nerves. No matter what they say it gets to you.” The tension between the ideal of walking free and the age-old inability to give up on those relationships drives the song. Their other songs take equally everyday things, mix in the magic and top it with an eye-catching title. “The Reasons Why Hips Shake in Neon Lights is about cutting loose and being who you are. Pointblank from Pen Range is a song about a girl who treated Jesse, our bassist, like shit.” Edmonds adds, “I decided to rip her apart.”
It’s these lyrics, this sound, that explains the universal appeal of This Awkward Silence. Their philosophy is about the ability to change, to transform, to make it—for themselves and for their listeners—and though their music isn’t about rainbows and puppies, it’s got a message of hope. The song Holding On to You describes that hope, but never promises. “I hope that you'll stay with me and I'll never need a love again.”
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