Album Review ~ Sons of Silver ~ 'Runaway Emotions'

Neo-classical rock band Sons of Silver’s new album titled Runaway Emotions will be ringing in the new year with a fresh sound. Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Pete Argyropoulos, keyboardist Brina Kabler, guitarist Kevin Haaland of Skillet, bassist Adam Kury from Candlebox, and drummer Marc Slutsky of acts like Peter Murphy and Tonic, there’s no doubting the diverse talents and professionalism of Sons of Silver. A misfit supergroup of artists who are no strangers to the industry and the stage, Runaway Emotions is the latest release with a few early singles and a music video already available and loved by the public.

The opener, “Tell Me This,” takes on a headbanging, hip swinging rhythm with slick riffs and fast chords. Electrifying licks and a stadium ambience deliver the first track, dragging us into the rock show.

Lyrically driven, “Just Getting Started,” comes in as track two. A pulsing beat and striking chords that ring out, there’s something about this drum-heavy song that kicks you to your feet. Pete’s voice soars with a gritty soulfulness. “Just Getting Started” is one of the earlier singles with a music video which was released this past summer. The video captures the band, mostly silhouetted in a hazy shadow, in a darkened warehouse setting.

Invoking a saloon sound, “Giving It Back,” has a sultry feel from the low crooning vocals to the thrilling riffs playing over each other. “A leisurely tempo escalates the song into a moving powerhouse track, and with a sauntering passion on the vocals, “Giving It Back” is sure to have listeners in a chokehold.”

“Running Out Of Words,” is driven by simple melodies yet those simplicities are what get stuck in our heads, playing over and over until we’re humming along. A less is more take, where what’s not said speaks just as loud as what is. The drums pound us into the chorus, and out of nowhere on the bridge comes a short but sharp guitar solo. Lyrically, the song talks of being stuck, confined into a space you need to break away from with no solutions. The guitar truly takes center stage, propelling the vocals and emotions into something stronger while still giving listeners a taste of heart-pounding stereo rock.

“Baby Hang On,” delivers us a gymnasium bop. Groovy riffs that mute themselves on the verses to give way to a pulsing beat ready to blow. A bluesy swing style that’ll make you want to shake is what this track throws at you, such an infectious beat that you could easily miss the subtle reference to the album title in the lyrics, “Runaway emotions got you worried sick.”

Solitude reigns over the sixth track, appropriately titled “Ghosts.” A song about dealing with your inner demons and the evils that lurk within us all out of sight where only we can see them. There’s something absolutely delicious about “Ghosts,” a moving kaleidoscope of sounds fighting over one another for control. The rhythm changes rapidly, and a deeper tone cruising the bridge enhances the track to the next level, while the morbid lyrics speak out like a melancholy poem, a woeful energy raging on.

Leaning heavily into the bass, “Nobody Minds,” combines a grunge metal tone with subtle synth, and a furiously paced riff drives the following track, “Warning Signs.” That track paves headfirst with the ferocity of a war machine, headstrong, and pumping full of exhilaration.

“Hold Tight,” brings a hopeful outlook to the situation, conveying the message to keep speaking your mind regardless of what anyone else thinks. The public will always have its outside opinions and criticisms, but what we hear in “Hold Tight,” is why should we care? Inspirational, motivating but also with an edge of rebellion, this song keeps an easygoing tempo to back the husky vocals.

Keys open the finale, “Friends.” This last track has a different feeling from the others, giving us a ballad intro, a simple farewell to the album. “Friends” is a call-to-arms, a gathering song as the storm rages on. The piano, while subtle throughout Runaway Emotions finally takes its stand here, leading the vocals along.

Traditional blues and swing meet their match with the grunginess of Runaway Emotions, but rest assured this is not a typical garage rock album. Polished and soulful, Sons of Silver’s new collection is less distortion and more lyrical vulnerability, a well-crafted album ready to bring on the new year.

Review by I’m Music Magazine Writer Alice Kearney

Runaway Emotions is out 1/10/25. PRE-SAVE sonsofsilver.lnk.to/RunawayEmotionsPS