SIM

Witten by Amelia Hodges

Japanese goliaths SiM (Silence iz Mine). Formed in 2004 in the Kanagawa Prefecture SiM combines elements from heavy metal, ska, punk, reggae, dub, hip-hop and everything in between. The crowd buzzed for SiM, the atmosphere was palpable and filled with whispers of what was to come. A true smorgasbord of genres that SiM pulls off with polish and attitude. They’re like nothing you’ve ever heard before or ever will again, in the best way possible.  

SiM is truly fascinating to watch, you couldn’t take your eyes off of them for fear of missing something fantastic. From the get-go, it was clear that the audience was in for something truly spectacular with their first song “KiSS OF DEATH”. Beginning with hard-hitting drums, hardcore guitars and guttural screams before swiftly switching into a reggae verse that fused with dub as the song progressed, to combine all three creating a catchy chorus that was fun and easy to move to. It was something special to see, as a support act you usually see a small portion of the crowd moving that gradually grows over the set, this was not that kind of show. This audience needed no encouragement, following vocalist MAH’s every move with front-to-back crowd participation. 

“DO THE DANCE” was up next which once again had a punchy metal intro with elements of techno, that morphed into a ska verse. SiM is doing all the right things to work the crowd and by the second song MAH has them eating out of his hand. He requested a pit, he got a pit filled with already sweaty concertgoers giving it their all ( including their shirts which were already flying). By the chorus they had the crowd screaming the easy-to-follow backing vocals. As a band, they are clearly doing something right to garner this much passion from the audience. It was in this song that SIN’s skill and expertise as a bassist really shone through, adding flair to the bassline as he spun around the stage. 

The third song “Devil in Your Heart” spawned a circle pit which accompanied the song's fast vocals and even faster guitar. This song blends metal and ska to create a haunting sound almost reminiscent of a circus. If performed by any other band, it would be difficult to pull off to such a high standard, but SiM made it seem effortless. Each member has a unique set of skills that elevates the band's music to a completely different level. For most musicians, a drastic switch in tone and tempo would pose a challenge but the band’s guitarist SHOW-HATE switches without missing a beat. Although for the most part, the guitar riff is somewhat  simple SHOW-HATE embellished the song with a technical flair, and between the brutal breakdowns and shredding guitar solo, it once again demonstrates the band's professionalism as musicians. 

SiM continued their set's upward momentum playing two songs from Attack on Titan “UNDER THE TREE” and “The Rumbling”. It was very clear they knew what their audience wanted and gave it to them in abundance. MAH encouraged the crowd to film these songs, on the condition the audience sing along, though they needed little persuasion to do so. “UNDER THE TREE” sounds rather different from the other songs from this band's repertoire lacking the ska, punk and reggae SiM is known for; it was a phenomenal metal song that the crowd loved. Followed by “The Rumbling”, a song that perfectly demonstrates the experience of each musician in the band. This song highlights each instrument in its own way to create a heavy metal track with brutally powerful guitar riffs, a bass that's dynamically propulsive and drums that are dark and throbbing, all brought together by MAH’s incredible vocal capabilities switching between clean vocals and guttural, blood-curdling screams.

“BASEBALL BAT” was introduced by MAH bouncing around the stage proudly swinging a baseball bat. The crowd knew what was in store and erupted. A j-rock, pop-punk, metal anthem with a catchy chorus that’s easy to follow, even if you’re not familiar with the song. During “KiLLiNG ME” MAH instructed the audience to bounce, the momentum was so powerful the floor was shaking. Finishing with “f.a.i.t.h”, MAH announced they would play “the fastest metal song” and they did with a song that lasted less than two minutes. The song was heavier than any of the others played tonight with gnarly breakdowns and harsh screams. 

Overall the show was an experience, not only musically taking you through various genres in mere seconds but also guiding you through a theatrical performance. SiM is truly captivating. The band seemed extremely happy to be playing onstage and was overjoyed with the crowd’s reaction and energy, which only fueled the band further. It is so rare to see an audience fully immersed and engaged in a support act’s set. Each member of the band brought something uniquely different to the show to create a highly polished and professional set while giving the audience something you will not see anywhere else. It was SiM’s first time in Bristol and one neither the band nor the audience will forget anytime soon.