Silent Theory
Moscow, Idaho, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2010
Music
Press
Upstart Idaho rockers Silent Theory emerge from the smoke and embers with their rocking new video for "Watch Me Burn." The radio-ready rocker balances between tender piano moments and more aggressive jutting rock guitars. Take a look at the clip here and if you like what you hear, their Delusions album is available via iTunes. Stay up to date with the band here. - Loudwire
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Hi Dakota, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
We’ve been good! This last year has been great and created a lot of momentum for us.
Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Before The Storm”?
Absolutely. We love the different interpretations people take from our songs. So sometimes I don’t like to say what each song is about, but this song is about addiction. Now at the time the opioid dependency epidemic was at its peak and we are a band that likes to write about the atmosphere of the moment. Personally, I put a lot of myself into the song. We are proud of the positive reception.
Did any event in particular inspired you to write this song?
I wouldn’t say a specific event. Addiction is something I battle with and millions of other people struggle with, it was just one of those things we saw on the news every day. Another OD, especially in our area. It seemed prominent and something we wanted to challenge ourselves to write about.
How was the filming process and experience behind the video?
Cold. It was cold. We filmed in Spokane at an old aluminum processing plant (with the talented Jon Kuritz) we wanted to show that this kind of crisis affects everyone, from the rich to the poor.
How was the recording and writing process?
Well we recorded with the amazing Jimmy Hill at Amplified Wax Studios in Spokane. We are always happy with the kind of sound he can get out of us. He helps with the song development further in studio which is such a benefit. When we have a great concept and song, it practically writes itself. Typically the music is written in a tedious, trial and error style of process. We decide on a direction for the song and I then, take that home and write my lyrics, bring it to the guys and let them pick it apart if they want to. Add or subtract whatever they feel will improve it.
How Chevelle and 10 Years has influence your writing?
It’s no secret I’m a huge Chevelle fan. Tenors that register in G like I do, have always appealed to me. I remember seeing 10 years right after ‘Wasteland’ released and felt so motivated to write music after that show. So in my opinion, those two, are a realistic standard to what we should be aiming for. I can’t speak for everyone necessarily but we have so many influences stretching across a large spectrum of music. (Rush, Chili Peppers, Kiss, Johnny Cash, Linkin Park) to name a few, and with our music moving forward we hope to demonstrate our growth.
What role does Idaho play in your music?
We’re proud to represent this very “un”represented state. It’s not a shock that it’s difficult to be seen here but we will always be an Idaho band and one day we hope to be “the” Idaho band.
Does the new single mean we can expect a new material – how’s that coming along?
Yes. I can tell you it’s going to be quality songs over quantity songs, so closer to an EP than an album, but…it’s going to be good guys.
Any tentative release date or title in mind?
Spring of 2019 is the goal. And a title is usually the last thing we come up with. We’ll let the feel of the album help us determine the name.
Any plans to hit the road?
We are planning on hitting the road this summer in support of the EP/Album. We hope to get back on the festival circuit for 2019 as well.
What else is happening next in Silent Theory’s world?
A lot. Unfortunately that’s all I can say because we are currently in negotiations. The future does look bright though. - Vents Magazine
I was recently given the opportunity to interview Silent Theory’s Mitch Swanger about the band’s single “Before The Storm” and more. You can read the full chat below.
METAL ANARCHY: First of all, What would you like to say about your new single “Before The Storm”?
SWANGER: We are always a band that is writing about the world around us, or an event or a situation that touches us. Dakota had a lot of opinion on the current opioid crisis, feeling like we’ve dug ourselves in way too deep, so how do we get out of it? What people don’t always realize is that there is help, which is why we turned our video into a PSA of sorts, including a helpline at the end. We are really proud of how the single turned out. James Hill of Amplified Wax Studios, produced the tune and delivered as he always does. The reception so far has been phenomenal.
METAL ANARCHY: How would you describe the music video?
SWANGER: The performance shots were cold. Not from an emotional standpoint, but from an actual temperature standpoint. We filmed the video in an abandoned warehouse in January, and I believe it was about 20 degrees. In between takes, we had to all huddle around heaters to try and warm up. It seriously was miserable. We lucked out, however, with our actors who did a great job of telling an addiction story. Usually we like to be somewhat vague in our music/videos so that people can derive from it what they will, but given that Dakota had written it exclusively about the opioid crisis, we felt it necessary to tell that story. We’ve had a lot of people tell us already that the song and video have spoken volumes to them, and in some cases, even pulled them down from a ledge. It touches us deeply to hear that our music touches you deeply. Those comments don’t go unnoticed by any means, and we are always humbled.
METAL ANARCHY: Is this just a standalone single, or can fans expect a new album in the near future?
SWANGER: This is not just a standalone single. We are finishing up some of the writing and plan on heading back to the studio late winter, early spring to finish the album. As of right now, fans can expect a late spring release.
METAL ANARCHY: Last month, you participated in the Headbangers Con in Portland, OR and it looked like it was a pretty cool event. What was that experience like?
SWANGER: Headbangers Con was amazing! Chris and David were amazing dudes, and did a great job in putting the Con together. Events like that are always so much fun because it brings a family of rockers together from all over the place to celebrate the music we all love. It doesn’t matter what backgrounds or stories we all have, we come together and unite as a family over the tunes. It sounds like they are wanting to put the Con on the road, so make sure you stay tuned to see if it comes near you. If it does, be sure to attend.
METAL ANARCHY: 2018 is almost over. What was your highlight of the year?
SWANGER: This is a tough question, and not sure that I’d be able to name just one highlight. We played some amazing festivals this summer, such as Rocklahoma and Metal In The Mountains which were a very rewarding experience. We also had some radio success with “Watch Me Burn” reaching #62 on the All Access Mediabase charts. Something that isn’t as “sexy” but always a highlight and is important are all the connections we made over the year, both with industry members, but as well as fans. I remember someone telling us that they had driven down from Canada to see us at Rocklahoma. That’s not just a quick car ride. I remember thinking, go ahead and just dig through that merch table and take whatever you want!
METAL ANARCHY: What are your plans for 2019?
SWANGER: We will hit the studio late winter or early spring to finish the album, with a release in late spring, and then tour the album! Stay tuned to see if we will be coming your way! - Metal Anarchy
Silent Theory recently released a music video for their single "Before The Storm" and to celebrate we asked frontman Dakota to tell us about the song. Here is the story:
"Before the Storm" is about addiction. When Mitch wrote the music, the opioid dependency epidemic was in full swing. Not to mention a few catastrophic hurricanes causing immense damage, it felt like those two things should go hand in hand. We wanted to attempt to show that this crisis affects a wide spectrum of people. From those that actively seek the high, to those that accidentally took that extra step too far and got trapped. We are a band that writes about the atmosphere of the moment we are living in and this was no exception. I put a lot of myself personally into this song and I was incredibly nervous about its release because of that. I am proud to say its reception has been positive, and the entire band feels nothing but gratitude. This song is a solid step in the right direction as far as refining our sound. With this positive response, that only encourages the thought that we are doing something right. We also wanted to let you guys know, we read the messages you send us about the obstacles you've overcome and the 'thank you's' we get about our music helping you through those tough times. We see them and we take them with us into every new line we write. We want to continue to make music that resonates with our fan base. Because of that, and all the other reasons stated, we dedicate this song to those who suffer or those who know someone dear to them that has suffered, from addiction. Of all types. - Anti-Music
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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! - Rock Documented
Silent Theory present a stunning amalgamation of rock and metal, complete with compelling lyrics that absolute captivate the senses. Their latest single Before The Storm is as powerful as it is addictive, giving music fans a taste of what’s in store from Silent Theory in 2019 and beyond. Highwire Daze Online recently interviewed lead singer Dakota Elliot Tyler to find out a whole lot more about Silent Theory and their vibrantly scorching refrains. Read on…
Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Silent Theory, and how long the band has been together.
Hi, I’m Dakota and I’m the lead singer of Silent Theory. I’ve been with the band since 2014 but the guys have been together since 2010.
Where is the band based out of and what is your local music scene like there?
We are based out of Moscow, Idaho. The scene here is small, so we play in Spokane and Lewiston, both of which are easy commutes for us and the music community in both of those cities are pretty solid. A lot of talent in the northwest.
Is there any overall story or concept behind your new single Before The Storm?
Absolutely. The song is about addiction. Specifically the opioid crisis. How it can grab a hold of anyone and how frightening it is to watch yourself slip over and over again. Having no control and being swept out to sea was the concept and we’re happy with its reception.
Watch Me Burn is another new Silent Theory song. What inspired the lyrics for that particular song?
“Watch Me Burn” is an atmospheric song. We wrote it one day on Mitch’s back porch during the peak of election season. We aren’t a political band, but we like to write about the atmosphere of the here and now.
How close is Silent Theory to releasing an all-new album or EP?
Close. Writing has begun. We hope to be in studio before spring.
What could one expect from a live Silent Theory show?
Consistency. We play tight but we have fun. We do our best to sound like what you hear on the album while not trying to be boring.
What was the experience like playing the world famous Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip?
I actually wouldn’t know, I wasn’t in the band at the time but from what they tell me, it was great!
If Silent Theory could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
I’m going to take liberties with my answer but I would want to open for Papa Roach. That would be a sold out show no matter what you go.
Any strange or scary happening on the road or at a Silent Theory show?
Strange? No. Brutal? Yes. We had problems with our bus, Millie (R.I.P.) all tour from overheating, the retractable canopy flying open at 65 mph, wheel side airbags deflating, you know, the good stuff. Until finally she blows a gasket right outside Denver on the shoulder of the freeway in the middle of a lightning storm on our way to open for Saliva in Grand Junction, CO. 130 miles away. So that was fun. We ended up leaving her in Denver and U-hauling it the rest of the tour.
What’s up in the New Year for Silent Theory?
New music and live shows. We are hoping for a spring release and a tour this summer to support the new album.
Any final words of wisdom?
It’s fun to be weird. Some of our best people are.
Silent Theory is:
Dakota Elliot Tyler – vocals
Scott Swanger – guitar
Bob James – guitar
George Swanger – bass
Mitch Swanger – drums - Highwire Daze
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Unsigned Spotlight: Silent Theory
Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.
Dakota Jerns – Vocals
Robert James – Guitar
Scott Swanger – Guitar
George Swanger – Bass
Mitch Swanger – Drums
For starters, what bands were you guys a part of prior to Silent Theory?
How long has the band been around? Scott, Robert and I were in a previous band called Faded that essentially led to the creation of Silent Theory. Dakota was in a band called Hollowpoint. We broke off from Faded and started Silent Theory in 2010. We brought in George around that time and then Dakota joined the band in 2014.
What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?
I wish we had a really awesome story behind the meaning and name of the band but unfortunately we don’t. When we split off from Faded we needed to start all over and we were struggling on a band name. One day we decided to go to one of our favorite local Mexican restaurants and decided that we couldn’t leave until we had a name. After many margaritas and some terrible ideas later we came up with Silent Theory.
Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?
We all collaborate in the writing, though Scott writes a bulk of the music and Dakota writes a bulk of the lyrics. On our album Delusions, there are a lot of underlying themes related to depression and mental illness, which I believe everyone has related to at one point in their life or another. Or maybe they are relating to it now. We are a band that will write what we see or what we feel so I think depending on where we are at in our lives, will determine what our songs about. For example, we wrote Watch Me Burn in the midst of the last presidential election and I think you can clearly see that in there.
What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?
We have a broad spectrum of musical inspirations which allows for some eclectic writing. Anywhere from old school country to heavy metal. Lately though, collectively we’ve been into Breaking Benjamin a lot lately. Those dudes are incredible.
Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?
I’d imagine that everyone in the band would answer that differently. I know that Linkin Park is what really got Dakota into it. For me though, I remember being a kid and hearing Rush’s Moving Pictures album for the first time and I was instantly hooked and obsessed. I’d come home from school each day and put on a classic rock album, typically Rush though, and jam for hours just pretending to be playing in front of a stadium.
What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …
Stretching definitely. As we’ve gotten older we’ve learned the hard way that stretching is important! Everyone kind of gets into their own zone before we perform. We typically stay quiet and apart before the show. I used to have a pre-show ritual where I’d watch Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Live at Slain Castle before every show, but I seem to have misplaced the DVD.
What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?
We’ve been fortunate to have lots of exciting things happen to the band, but some of the highlights certainly include having one of our songs on the video game, Rock Band. We performed on MTV cribs as well. More recently, I’d say our biggest highlight is the international attention that our video, “Fragile Minds” has gotten. We didn’t think it would explode like it has so we have felt very lucky.
If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
We’ve always wanted to do a “Theory” tour, which would include us, Rev Theory and Theory of a Deadman. We have a great deal of respect for both of those bands and think it’d be a phenomenal tour. If Tyler or Rich are reading this, we are ready to go when you are!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I always like to shamelessly plug the band. Be sure to check us out on all the social media platforms, give us a like on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, etc. You can find our music anywhere you have internet connection. We are on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora and so on. We also have a web store at www.silenttheorymusic.com where you can buy hard copy CDs, shirts, hats, hoodies. Lastly, please share us with your friends and help us get the gospel of Silent Theory out there! - Kill The Music
Discography
Single: Before The Storm (November 2018)
Album: Delusions (September 2016)
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Bio
In a society where new bands pop up every day, Silent Theory is here to set a new standard. The band found success with their single, "Fragile Minds," released June 2016, charting at #97 for Media Base Active-Rock and #29 for Under the Radar charts. It has since surpassed 2 million video views on YouTube and continues to grow rapidly. Following this success in June 2018, through Loudwire, the band released their second single off of the album, Delusions, "Watch Me Burn." The single charted at #67 on the Media Base Active-Rock charts.
Silent Theory is made up of brothers Mitch, Scott, and George Swanger, as well as Robert James and Dakota Elliot Tyler. They are currently located in Moscow, Idaho, but finding worldwide success. As of January 2019, they signed with Paul Crosby Management (founding member of Saliva), released their latest single, "Before The Storm," and are currently finishing a new album to be
released later this year.
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