You've genuinely been living under a comically large and insanely soundproof rock if you haven't heard someone talking about ERRA. Since 2009, ERRA has been completely dominating the modern metal scene with their alternative attitude and djenty demeanor. I'm sure that ERRA needs no introduction to the metalcore scene, as their 2011 release "Impulse" practically forced them into the spotlight. Six albums later, they're still dominating, and by releasing "silence outlives the earth," they've proven they're the rightful dominators.

It's instantly clear how ERRA gained such a following. In today's (commercial) metal scene, listeners crave graspable melodies and vocal hooks to sing along to. Every single song can be your next karaoke go-to, even the vocally harsher tracks, e.g., "further eden."  Jesse Cash's cleans are crystal-clear and enjoyable to listen to, and I can say the same of J.T. Cavey's raspy screams, which is the main vocal type."black cloud" is a great display of the cleans, and when paired with the song's atmosphere, they're simply lovely. The singing isn't the only solid aspect, of course. The band isn't afraid to get technical and gritty, and tracks like "cicada siren" and "gore of being" present ERRA's technically proficient side. Alex Ballew's complicated drumming isn't distracting, like 99.99% of modern metal drummers. The punchy, down-tuned guitar chugs hit extremely hard, especially during the closing sequence of "lucid threshold," and the entirety of the three-track suite that finishes the album: "i. the many names of god," "ii. the gut of the wolf," and "iii. twilight in the reflection of dreams." There's also audible bass, which goes a long way for me. The atmosphere is yet another explanation for ERRA's success. Each track allots time for a musical environment to develop, and some songs ("echo sonata") tend to lean heavily on ambience and atmosphere rather than brutality. I have no issues when a band takes the pedal off their metal. While it's not a defining feature, the atmosphere certainly plays a big role in "silence outlives the earth." 

The only other ERRA album I've completely listened to was their 2016 self-titled effort, and I can definitely point out the band's evolution since then. They've also grown immensely in terms of popularity, as the singles from this album already have over five million streams combined, which is pretty insane. Sure, currently there are bigger metalcore bands out there, but not many of them are as relevant in the progressive metal world. This LP is directly helping djent and prog reach new audiences, and I couldn't be more thankful. After forty-two minutes of soapy-clean production, punchy instrumentation, and enjoyable singing, this slice of ear porn is a sure contender for my AOTY.