Have you ever wondered what triumph over adversity sounds like? The answer lies in ‘Trickery’, the seventh album from gothic post-punk legends Then Comes Silence.
It’s 2022, and on the eve of their first-ever US tour and eager to promote their stellar albums ‘Machine’ (2020) and ‘Hunger’ (2022) for the first time, Then Comes Silence are suddenly and unexpectedly reduced to a three-piece. Would their famed darkwave wall-of-sound still work with just the three bandmembers? The answer was resoundingly positive, so much so that the band resolved to continue with the slimmed-down line-up on a permanent basis on further US (supporting Vision Video and The Bellwether Syndicate) and European tours, and now on their return to the studio. This inadvertent metamorphosis of the band has led to a different way of creating music and performing live.
The band’s existential crisis also resulted in a re-assessment of their very raison d’être, and this is reflected lyrically on the new album. Then Comes Silence explain that ‘Trickery’ celebrates friendship, unity and the feeling of belonging to a group, a tribe. “Being a part of what many people call ‘the goth and post-punk community’ is a great privilege. After being on the road meeting people from the music scene for so many years, we have experienced a caring and welcoming community. Both old and young, some with a similar background and some just for the love of the music and the culture that comes with the lifestyle. No-one is free from apprehension and fear. Everyone feels some kind of alienation to a certain extent. You might often think you need to camouflage yourself to feel part of a scene, to make a change to fit into the group. The need for friendship is strong, so you adapt. Maybe not always the way you hoped, but then… there are moments when we unite and harmonize with other people and feel an incredible community together. That feeling is priceless and a blessing. Friendship is love. It is important and worth fighting for.”

Tracks:
1. Ride or Die
2. Like A Hammer
3. Feel The Cold
4. Tears and Cries
5. Stay Strange
6. Stiffs
7. Blind Eye
8. The Masquerade
9. Never Change
10. Dead Friend
11. Runners
12. Ghost House