Words by: JD Punisher
Via: Fearless Records
Out 12 September, 2025
Starset are a band you either haven’t heard enough of, or you’re a die hard fanatic that anxiously awaits each offering they bring forth into this world. I am the latter. From elite level production, to incredibly heart felt lyrics, and right through to some of the most experimental instrumentals you have been privileged to allow your ears to soak in, Starset have evolved over the years to become a formidable force in the heavy music world. Prepare every sense you have for SILOS, the 5th studio album from this incredible outfit, for it’s about to blow you away.
As with every Starset album, it tells a story. A world that dwells within the mind of front man Dustin Bates, spreads out of his mind upon an audible canvas, and somehow, it draws you in from the first 3 seconds of the introduction praesens. From here, we are brutally consumed by DEGENERATE, and this is just the beginning. Following on with title track SILOS, the stage is set for this band to really give everything they have, and then some. They have definitely hit the ground running here, and I can tell you now, this album is a journey best undertaken with noise-cancelling earphones and a whiskey on the rocks in hand. Immersion is key.
Between tracks, instrumentals and spoken word flesh out the story that Bates is attempting to convey to the listener. But make no mistake, this is just an appendix to the audible brilliance of the lyrical content contained within each track. Pushing his voice to the brink of destruction, with not only some metal gruffness, but some of the most beautifully heartfelt softer vocals, Bates has really brought everything he has to this album. It’s hard to pick your jaw up off the floor with tracks like DARK THINGS and SWAY on offer. The vocal range this guy has is incredible.
But, this isn’t all about Dustin’s ability to morph his voice with such ease, as we cannot forget about the instrumental component to such a colossal album. With Ron DeChant’s groove laden bass work, accompanied by the reality defying fret work of Brock Richards, Starset should be playing massive stages worldwide, and not just in their homeland of the USA. Adam Gilbert’s ability to write his own time signature within his percussion work defies logic. It seriously puts some of the most seasoned progressive metal drummers to shame. TOKSIK is a great display of his prowess behind the kit, really pushing everything to the absolute limit.
Winding down the album, AD ASTRA brings upon a finality that gives you a sense of contentment. Fusing all the elements from each of the previous tracks, it perfectly closes out the album to allow for the outro of requiem of the order, a classically composed, dystopian electronica inspired piece with Gregorian chanting laced between. The perfect close to such a huge album. Everything has been executed with precision and nothing has been left in the dark, providing the best display of a band that has grown from their first release of 2014’s Transmissions into the behemoth of a post-apocalyptic titan that not only gives incredible audible experiences, but if you’ve been to one of their live shows, you know how much they sink into the visual element as well.
What has been gifted to you here is a band that has poured heart, soul, creativity, and a whole lot of talent into a release that they should be damn proud of. It’s immersive, beautiful and brutal all in one. If you’re looking for your next obsession, Starset are about to become just that.
