The Silver Cord

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More About

• Ken Keifer
• Karl Haikara
• Dane Bernhardt

Given the fairly lo-fi recording here, it seems the Silver Cord was going for a more live sound. And while that approach has its drawbacks — namely sacrificing robust low end — it also highlights the stark tonal contrasts inherent in the songwriting. Dane Bernhardt's spooky keyboard work is far more prominent than on previous releases, allowing the music, even in its most violent moments, to retain the humanity and soul ripped away from the characters given voice by Ken Keifer and Karl Haikara. "The Entertainer," inspired in part by the ugliness of adult spectator sports, ends on an oddly wistful note suggesting compassion for the song's subjects, while tracks like "Bloodflow," the angst-racked "Release" and the magnificently harrowing "My Faded Spirit" serve as headily haunting high points.