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1. Low Self Opinion
2. Grip
3. Tearing
4. You Didn't Need
5. Almost Real
6. Obscene
7. What Do You Do
8. Blues Jam
9. Another Life
10. Just Like You
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| Review by John Franck With the exception of 1989's Hard Volume, Henry Rollins' solo profile had always been relegated to the minor leagues following his departure from neo-punk stalwarts Black Flag. But with the 1992 release of The End of Silence, Henry Rollins' first official effort for the burgeoning Imago label, everything would change, partly because The End of Silence was launched with the appropriate bells and whistles normally reserved for other, already well-established acts. Finally pairing up with an established producer capable of bringing the Rollins vision to fruition, Andy Wallace intuitively placed the singer's voice at the forefront of the album's incendiary mix. The dead-on, ultra-separated, compact sound of The End of Silence would go a long way toward broadening the singer's potential audience. Not only is the record a full-blown sonic assault on the senses (delivered with typical, deadpan Rollins honesty), Silence finally delivered in the songwriting department as well, making it the singer's most focused record to date. Never one to mince words, The End of Silence is chock full of bone-splintering moments like the first single, "Low Self Opinion." Bludgeoning and menacing at the same time, Rollins' visceral, introspective commentary takes no prisoners. On other songs like "Grip" and "What Do You Do" (which clocks in at just under seven and a half minutes), the singer furthers a vision that launched a hundred imitators. "Tearing," the record's excellent second single, would also be a boon for the vocalist, benefiting from some substantial MTV Headbanger's Ball airtime; it would further cement Rollins' profile with yet another audience: metalheads. Rollins would release other solid records, but The End of Silence remains one of his best. |