Silverstein have collaborated with emo/hip-hop shaker nothing,nowhere. for a gripping new single “Live Like This” which sees its release just days ahead of the drop of their highly anticipated new album, Misery Made Me.  “There came a point when I was somewhere between pessimistic and numb. Something needed to change but I didn’t know where to turn.” Silverstein guitarist Paul Marc reveals. “Live Like This”, written and recorded in lockdown, became an outlet for that frustration and desperation. “It felt like the only way to work through the sh*t was to hit rock bottom and dig a little deeper to find some hope.”

“‘I don’t wanna die, but I can’t live like this’ – the lyric says it all,”  vocalist/frontman Shane Told affirms. “Living through an unimaginable time we all faced some of the darkest feelings of our lives. The uncertainty, the anxiety, it was crippling. Bringing in another voice was important for this song to show its universal meaning.  Joe (nothing,nowhere.) is from a different country, a different upbringing, a different age group, but his voice resonates just as loud as mine”. 

“silverstein has always been one of my favorite bands. shane’s vocals inspired me when i first started singing as a kid, so i knew i had to get on this track,” adds nothing,nowhere.

Filled with moments of relentless energy throwing back to their punk and hardcore roots to visionary moments of modern heavy, Silverstein’s forthcoming album Misery Made Me fastens their status as torchbearers of the scene on all fronts. It’s both intriguing and inspiring that a band – who could have merely rested on the impressive legacy they’ve already cemented – would continue to dig deep and find the inspiration to reach people in meaningful new ways. 

Few bands in their 22nd year could claim to be in ‘just getting started’ mode as much as punk stalwarts Silverstein. On Misery Made Me, they find themselves springboarding off the heights they’ve reached over the past handful of years. “For the first time in our career, we truly put it all out there.  We went into this with no rules and no preconceived notions of what Silverstein is or what it could be. We somehow wrote the heaviest, saddest, catchiest, and most emotional songs in 22 years of being a band … all on the same album,” tells vocalist Shane Told.

Ironically, amid all the positivity and connectivity injected into the creation of Misery Made Me, there comes a dark set of themes underpinning the album, as its title might suggest. The album is a depiction of Silverstein – and world at large’s – collective turmoil, frustration, and anxiety. 

“I wanted to explore the meaning of ‘Misery’ as a main theme throughout the album,” says Told. “Despite the mountains climbed and boulders pushed during recent years, we were confronted by the weight and misery of staying relatively in the same place for a long period of time. Finding peace in the reality of this misery became important. The record is about the acceptance of a new reality and adapting to it.” 

Ultimately, Misery Made Me finds the band trying to navigate the ever-worsening challenges of our modern  world – angst, doomscrolling, and disassociation. It’s a record that is a product of the moment in time in which  it was created yet doesn’t feel like it will date itself anytime soon, as many of its topics of loneliness, anxiety, and isolation are eternal human struggles.

Misery Made Me is a campaign hinged on Silverstein’s reflection and gratitude for their roots, their honoring of their earliest fans, and their staunch desire to explore forward-thinking and adventurous ways to connect with new ones.

The album sees its release via UNFD on CD, vinyl and digital formats on May 6. It was produced by Sam Guaiana (A Beautiful Place To Drown and both Redux) at Jukasa Studios in rural Ontario, Canada and features guests Andrew Neufeld of Comeback Kid on “Die Alone”, singer/songwriter Trevor Daniel on “Cold Blood”, Devil Wears Prada’s Mike Hranica on “Slow Motion” and nothing,nowhere. on “Live Like This”.

Silverstein are currently on the road in support of Misery Made Me, wrapping up their run with Beartooth before heading over to the UK and Europe. Today they’ve announced a full North American co-headlining tour with The Amity Affliction. Highlights include LA’s The Wiltern, Chicago’s Concord Music Hall, Seattle, Texas, Nashville and more. Check below for a full list of dates. All tickets are available here.

Photo Courtesy: Wyatt Clough