Silent Theory is a band that is coming back with a fierce readiness for what is next. The new single “Before the Storm” is one that is harsh and tears at your heart strings. Speaking with Robert James, guitarist from Silent Theory, was my pleasure. Here is what we chatted about.
Rock Documented: How did Silent Theory begin?
Silent Theory, we are out here in Moscow, Idaho, which usually raises the question of where that is, it’s about an hour or so outside of Coeur D’Alene, if you ever look at a map. The way we got started, it has been about ten years ago when I first met Mitch. I moved out to the area to go to college and eventually I did that, I suppose. Mitch and I were working together and just sharing different stories about music and this that and the other, found a real camaraderie in that. Then he comes to tell me he is playing in this band called Faded at the time and they were looking for a bass player and just so happens I play the bass. He and I started playing music together with that group and had a good time. Did that for a couple of years, that project kind of ran its course. Towards the end of that project, Scott had come in on lead guitar, it was moving in a good direction but like I said it had run its course. When we finished that project, we kind of sat around and had the conversation of do we want to keep doing this, do we think this is still fun, do we have stuff left in the tank and we decided that we really did. We really wanted to keep pursuing music and so we started the new project with a few line-up changes.
RD: How did the band come up with the name Silent Theory?
People always ask about the name and I wish I had a better story for it. Recently we had a conversation at a Mexican food restaurant and we were like delicious food and margaritas. We were sitting around for about four hours spit balling names. It was like well what about this, and then we would google it and no, and then well what about this, no that’s just stupid. Finally, I don’t remember who said it, just out of nowhere someone says Silent Theory and we all just kind of sat around for a while staring at each other and well yeah, I really like it, and that is how we got the name.
RD: Being a band from Idaho, what is the rock scene like?
The Spokane/Coeur D’Alene area has always had an active rock scene. I think it is pretty under appreciated. To be fair it is a little divisive, no middle ground. There is like a lot of bohemian, white boy reggae, that kind of fun type music and then on the other end you have the serious hard-core metal heads, stuff like that. There is not a lot of in between. In the last however many years we have been playing, I think there has been this real cool more like merge, so like somewhere in the middle is where you find us and some of the other bands that we really enjoy playing with who are doing really great things. I think some people are starting to take notice, but I think it’s difficult in a lot of ways in the country. The music scene is really kind of struggling with the technology and sciences the way things are, but I think it hanging in there and doing well up in our area.
RD: What kind of guitar do you play?
Currently a PRS Tremonti and I love it. Mark Tremonti in my opinion has always had some of the best guitar tone.
RD: Who inspires you?
It’s hard to narrow it down. I think what makes Silent Theory cool is individuality and as the group Silent Theory we have a lot of diverse influences. I think it really comes through in the music.
RD: The song “Before the Storm” is powerful. In today’s world it is like asking the question what’s next. Is it intentional within the song or did it just happen. Is that what the band was going for?
A little bit of both. It feels like every day is a big question mark, more so than it has been in some versions of the past. The song specifically was inspired by this ongoing epidemic with just controlled substances, drugs have never been shocking to people they have always kind of been there but what is baffling to us is like this opioid thing that is going on. It is mostly driven by prescription drugs like big pharma and all these other things. It’s amazing on how this problem has gotten so big because people kind of turned a blind eye to it because it’s like well you know it’s from a doctor. It’s medicine and stuff like that, so it is not that bad. It’s crazy it has gotten so bad and everyone is aware of it, but it feels like no one is really doing anything about it. Just talking about it and stuff. We are very much a band that is influenced by what is going on around us. It is hard not to be. It is one of those things we kept seeing in our news-feeds and hearing about both on a national scale. Also, Idaho kind of has a reputation for bad drug things and stuff like that. It’s one of those things that hit close to home.
RD: A fun question now, Slayer or Anthrax?
I do like Slayer because I don’t feel like you can be in public and talk about them without [screaming] like at the top of your lungs fucking Slayer! I also think Scott Ian is one of the funniest random people in the music industry. Down to the music, honestly, I think that Anthrax is a band that I would be more likely to pop into the player. I think they are both great, I think they both make phenomenal music.
RD: What does the tour look like for Silent Theory this year? What’s up with Silent Theory?
We are still kind of hammering down a bunch of things, so it’s not quite ready to release yet. We are very much working on this summer. We really want to hit the road and go play some music. We are getting some songs written and getting them recorded. Hopefully finish recording and all ready to go to the summer with. The people that have been with Silent Theory have been listening to the album Delusions for about two years now and we think they deserve some new music for their CD player. We are trying to make that priority.
Silent Theory will be out sometime this year bringing great music to the masses. Keep an ear out and eye out for this band. Rock On!
