Silverchild
The Red Desert EP
Self-Released
November 2016

Back in the good old days bands built their fanbases from the bottom up, playing every provincial bar and dive to properly hone their craft. By the time they caught the attention of a booking agent or A&R man the goods were in place: killer songs, catchy riffs and – most importantly – stage presence.

Stoke’s Silverchild have spent a couple of years doing things this old-fashioned way, culminating in headline shows at Rebellion Bar in Manchester and support slots with the likes of Orange Goblin. Now, with their ducks in a row, they release their debut EP and it’s a belter.

The core of the Silverchild sound is bluesy hard rock which neatly straddles both sides of the Atlantic, with a huge nod to classic bands of the genre. You can hear Aerosmith and 70s Whitesnake here, as well as Guns N Roses from a decade later. There’s a dose of Clutch and a sprinkling of Rival Sons for good modern measure. Vic Jepson’s snaking guitar lines underpin everything, whilst Alex Hiley’s full-blooded vocals roar over the top. The whole thing is pinned to the ground by the rhythm section of Al Burne and Max Ryles, who hit on one of the best grooves of the year on closing song (and EP highlight) “Dictator”.

With vim and determination there is no reason why Silverchild can’t break out of our beloved Manchester scene and onto bigger things. That jackpot combination of massive hooks and the ability to own a crowd should see us in ten years’ time talking about that time we were lucky enough to see them in a tiny venue.