Silverthorne have just released their debut EP, Tear the Sky Wide Open.  The band, featuring guitarist/vocalist Pete Shoulder, Daniel Spree on bass, and Brian Tichy on drums, take blues foundations, and give them a very hard rock working over.  The results are fantastic.

An immense riff full of groove opens the EP, and when Shoulders voice comes in shortly after, I’m hooked.  Musically infectious, with a unique guitar sound and bold rhythms, Silverthorne are truly fresh.  Even with a drummer like Tichy on board though, the real key to this project is the voice.  At times it seems as though there is a second vocalist – Shoulder has such a variety of techniques at his disposal – and he oozes power.

Roll Me Back Again is a southern infused rocker, complimented by some great guitar and powerful drumming.  Once again though, the vocals outshine all else.  Shoulder has a great range, and utilises it all.

The southern vibe is fully fleshed out on Black River Rising.  In the verses the band is laid back and almost plods along, but in the choruses, the band ramps up, and the vocals soar.  An excellent guitar solo towards the finale of the track makes it a bit of a highlight.

Movin’ opens with an intriguing guitar sound, and some very industrial sounding drumming.  There’s a mechanical feel to this song that even carries over to the vocals with the effect used.  Some perfect vocal harmonies are utilised for the chorus, which is another simple but effective touch.

The final track of the EP is Haunted by the Dawn, and this is the most radio friendly track of the collection.  Shoulder sounds like Chris Cornell at times, and the track is pretty infectious and catchy.  I don’t think Silverthorne have gone out of their way to achieve that accessibility, it’s just a natural occurrence.

This is a great debut, and I already eagerly await more material from this group.

8.5/10

Shayne McGowan.