Silent War from Costa Mesa is probably the best band no one in Long Beach has heard extensively. This 3 piece is taking listeners back to the “happy house” days of the 1980’s gothic scene. You can definitely hear The Church, The Sisters of Mercy and more notably Love and Rockets influences within Silent War. If you were one of the lucky ones to be at diPiazza’s back on January 7th you were treated to this 7 song flashback to a day for most of us when our only concern was getting enough money for clove cigarettes and a ride to “Cloud 9”.
A Silent War opened their set with the eerie “Pre-Comm...” which set the tone with Doktor Avalanche and The Sisters of Mercy flair. As those in the crowd sat in amazement; the band surged forward with their captivating lyrics and the tune “Communion”. “Cataclysm” brought back the wonder and excitement of Siouxsie and the Banshees early records as the crowd began to sway with every drum beat. “Follow Me” would make anyone who had the chance to see Bauhaus perform with their original lineup stand up and take notice of what was happening on stage this particular night. The song “follow me” is definitely faster than anything you will find in the Bauhaus catalog but just as entrancing as the hit “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” from Bauhaus. The 5th song “Vertigo” is their hauntingly powerful ballad a la Marc Almond or even Peter Murphy. The next song on the list many of us thought was a joke and the bands need to cool off under the hot lights of the stage. But “Water” turned out to be another amazing song in this short set. Ending their night was “In Martyrdom” a crowd pleaser and just the right exclamation point on this set. The song left everyone wanting to see and hear more from this pleasant surprise called Silent War.
As with most bands you have never seen before you wait for the chance to criticize their playing because you think they have to be a knock off or cover band. This is not the case at all in regards to Silent War. This 3 piece has it all, a drummer that will amaze you, a very polished bass player and a guitarist/singer who will command your undivided attention. If you see this band is coming to Long Beach and you want to flashback to the forgotten days of your Gothic youth you must see Silent War.
Silent War will be back in Long Beach at diPiazza’s on March 24th, mark your calendars and get your favorite gothic wear cleaned.
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