Silver Knife – Silver Knife (Review)

If you read a portion of my previous reviews, know me in person or occasionally talked to me via the web, you might be aware of the fact that I consider the current state of the BeNeLux Black Metal scene as one of the best offsprings to happen for Black Metal right now. Yes, yes, I know, trve schoolers will hate me for that because what’s happening in the neighboring countries mixes up quite an individual blend that often has a playful procession of stylistic devices that might be considered coining for the sound of Black Metal. But really, I don’t care about that. I think the band that really got me into specifically looking for further releases off the BeNeLux countries was Fluisteraars Bloem that came out in 2020 and conquered me by storm with its unique sound. And at that point, the scene over there had already been in full swing, I arrived late to the game once again. 

There is, however, a band whose initiation I did not miss due to the recommendation by team member Nino, stemming from the review he wrote about Silver Knife’s stellar debut release Unyielding / Unseeing. The stunning atmosphere that is conveyed on this album had me return numerous times. To a certain extent, this is no surprise, since when taking a closer look at the band members of this international formation, you will be able to find artists that are involved in several renowned projects such as Häxenzijrkell, Lure, Oerheks, Brae (which I also reviewed) and countless more combos. Hence, not arriving as a surprise, the material that Silver Knife delivers certainly brings forth well-written and delivered quality. After the release of their debut in 2020, there was a follow-up EP Ring in 2022 and now, in 2025, Silver Knife returned with the release of their self-titled sophomore full-length. 

This feels like a blunt idiom to start off stating that it only took a few seconds of the first track to be quite sure that this album is going to be as convincing as Silver Knife’s debut. However, I can’t come up with a different introduction when going into the album. Honestly, this self-titled album instantly kicks off with the first riff of “Sliver” and you know right away that this is going to be as much of a dreamscape as Unyielding / Unseeing. There is an intense amount of guitar wizardry available in Silver Knife’s songwriting. It actually is just guitar sound, yet it sounds otherworldly. The beauty that this guitar tone emanates is absolutely magnificent. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that this album heavily emphasizes the guitar sound and the riffing, since this was also an aspect that composed the persuasive power of the debut release. However, the overall sound that encapsulates the listener on this album differs from Unyielding / Unseeing. It feels as if the sonic elements that are a little further in the spheres of what could be denominated as Post-Black Metal were implemented a little further into the guitar sound on this sophomore release, which underlines the dreamy scapes that are constituted while listening.

Almost all of the tracks strike with a heavily mesmerizing power. This is predominantly done by the specific instrumentalization of iteration – meaning that recurring and ongoing riffs on the entire album succeed to lull the listener into a hypnotic state. Apart from underlining the entire oneiric theme the guitars bring forth on this album, it is also the natural progression between sequences that helps upholding this element. Although there are riffs that continue for quite some time, the passages that lead you in and out of these recurring sequences take away or lead towards the different stages of the tracks organically. Hence, it sometimes even takes a few seconds for the listener to realize that the foundation riff that leads you has changed already. Especially when going a little deeper into tracks such as “Sliver” or the monumental “Triumph in Tragedy,” it gets clear that the reiteration of riffs on all of those tracks is specifically on purpose. On both of the aforementioned tracks, we are lead towards acoustic or calmer sequences, that showcase the fact that Silver Knife are perfectly capable to jump between genre boundaries via hard cuts, if necessary, to readjust the attention of the listener. Particularly the sequence on the finishing track that takes over a large portion of the track conveys the beauty of this songwriting while simultaneously revealing the capability of Silver Knife to fully drive towards the mellowingly beauty derived from elements that might be positioned in the spheres of Post-Metal and Gaze. 

While drifting off towards ravishing dreamscapes in absolute beauty, the materialized introspection of this album is also implements nuances of aggression. Although specifically the position of the drums in the mix shifts the overall sound of this album toward the guitars, they still occasionally manage to overtake. During quite a lot of passages, the comparably calmer drums subtly synergize with the guitar tone thus managing to distract the listener from reality even further while not pushing out of their trance. However, when blast beats fully hit, the focus on the drum sounds that rather emerge from the overheads are pushed into the forefront, thus bringing forth a strong frenzy amidst the dreamscapes. On top of that, the alternation of the vocals between straightforward Black Metal screams located a little further in the distance and variations that are rather reminiscent of what is associated with Depressive Suicidal Black Metal add to the layer of alternation between beauty and aggression.

Although the sound that is present on this album is strongly intertwined with what was already offered on Unyielding / Unseeing, it eventually is the production that adds the top layer of elegance on this album. While the debut release still portrayed sufficient amounts of gritty Black Metal production, Silver Knife decided to go for a production that fully embraces the warmth that can be found inside of those riffs on this self-titled release. On the one hand, this might also bolster the fact of the natural progressions between riffs since the seducing tones of the guitars can easily move forward. On the other hand, though, this also heavily highlights the strength of the riffs that take place on all of those 47 minutes.

Once again, this album was taken care of as a co-release by Amor Fati Productions and Extranconscious Records who also delivered the full-length debut. It was again recorded at Brussels-based Blackout Studio and produced, mixed and mastered at Opus Magnum Studios by the band (D.) itself. This release certainly marks a milestone in the Black Metal environment of 2025. Partially erasing the border between Black Metal and Post-Black Metal, Silver Knife released a stellar sophomore full-length that once again defended the ranking of BeNeLux Black Metal. If you still do not have this scene on your scope, you probably live somewhere behind the moon.