Tampa, FL – Bountiful breakdowns blossomed on Silent Planet’s Superbloom tour, from the headliner’s soaring anthems to Johnny Booth’s raw and visceral beatdown. Fans packed Tampa’s Orpheum to soak it all in, enjoying three and half hours of music across four bands that represent the spectrum of metalcore.
Silent Planet has toured relentlessly across a 15-year career, but frequently as an opening act. This go-around they’re top-billed and in support of Superbloom, which debuted in November 2023 to huge (and well-deserved) critical success.
Every new album is an opportunity for a band and, for a band with Silent Planet’s longevity, a crossroads. Stick with the familiar and get slammed for “more of the same” or push the boundaries and “sell out.” Silent Planet took the risk and walked out of the studio with an album that redefined their sound without losing their core identity.
The setlist debuted every song on Superbloom, with breaks every couple of tracks for fan favorites like “Panopticon,” “Native Blood” and the inevitable “Panic Room.” Frontman Garrett Russell was in peak shape vocally and, even with a new sound, still performing barefoot.
Guitarist Mitch Stark provided way more than riffs, contributing clean vocals, screams, keys and a solid bedrock of samples and noise to underpin the alien nature of the Superbloom concept album. This was the second tour I’ve seen new bassist Nick Pocock and his groove was as tight as his predecessor, Thomas Freckleton. While Freckleton’s cleans were a signature part of Silent Planet’s sound, Pocock is more than a worthy replacement.
All the samples, nasty riffs and drawn out screams would be lifeless without the hard-charging drums of Alex Camarena. I’m always amazed how Camarena can do so much with a comparatively small kit.
All combined Silent Planet delivers an incredible package, with some extra flourishes like a new visualizer playing on a screen behind the band and a little “Interstellar” homage in between songs.
Photos © Kyle Martin
Setlist:
- (Tape: Lights off the Lost Coast)
- Offworlder
- Collider
- Panopticon
- Euphoria
- Dreamwalker
- Antimatter
- Panic Room
- :Signal:
- Anunnaki
- Native Blood
- Interstellar (Jam Session)
- The Overgrowth
- Nexus
- (Tape: Reentry)
- SUPERBLOOM
Paving the way for the headliner was Australian metalcore powerhouse Thornhill, who previously toured with Silent Planet and Russell earnestly described on stage as “one of the best bands ever.”
Most of the setlist pulled from 2022’s Heroine, which like Superbloom, signaled a shift in direction and took some fans looking for a sequel to Dark Pool by surprise. (This writer included.) Still, tracks like “Arkangel” and “Casanova” have been fondly adopted by fans judging by the wild reaction the opening riffs sparked in Tampa’s crowd.
“Lily and the Moon” remains a top tier fan favorite, although the opening drums from “Coven” garnered almost as much applause. I’ve heard set closer “Where We Go When Die” live before, but somehow this round just hit extra hard. While I’m certain the flight to North America is no joke, I look forward to a full headliner from the Aussies in the near future.
Photos © Kyle Martin
Also traveling from overseas was Aviana, a metalcore band hailing from Sweden. The core is vocalist Joel Holmquist, supported by masked guitarists and a drummer. While the vibes said Ghost, the music tracks closer to Wage War or I Prevail. While I was unfamiliar with their music, the energy from Holmquist and the band quickly had me banging my head.
“Rage” was the standout track for me, with its blast beat opening and pummeling riffs.
Photos © Kyle Martin
I’ve seen enough shows with openers that didn’t blend well or even make sense in context with the headliner. This tour picked well across the board, to include first opener Johnny Booth. The New York rockers have been building a well-deserved reputation for years with their brand of relentless metal. This tour stop lived up to their name.
Photos © Kyle Martin
