Silver Snakes is a rock band out of Los Angeles fronted by singer/guitarist Alex Estrada. Estrada is joined by Mike Trujillo on bass, Jeremiah Bignell on guitar and grounded by drummer Garrett Harney. Saboteur, is the band’s first full length album on Evil Ink Records (founded by Coheed & Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez). The record is scheduled to drop on February 5th.
The band was formed by Estrada in 2011 after his former band Cathedral broke up. Silver Snakes has drawn influence from many different acts including Ministry and Godflesh. Saboteur was inspired by Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral and Sleep’s cult classic Dopesmoker. The album, which is not quite a concept album, takes the listener on the internal journey of someone who has to come face-to-face with the consequences that arise after he manipulates and sabotages his way through life.
The songs, while dark in nature, are melodic and easy to listen to. Estrada has a good voice which he uses here to carry us through the ups and downs of self-reflection and discovery. His voice is interwoven with masterful guitar tracks that sometimes flow melodically and sometimes are dissonant and jarring. These two extremes serve to enhance the discoveries and the emotions that are drawn by Estrada’s lyrics and voice.
A solidly built foundation of drums and bass supports the listener while the atmospheric and almost ethereal lyrics and guitars keep the listener enthralled by the depths to which one man will sink in order to achieve the goal (prize?) he feels belongs to him and him alone.
Estrada says that, “The idea of sabotage is something that can be applied to everyone’s lives. It is a human urge to want to succeed over everyone else, or to see someone not succeed just for the pleasure you get out of that…that’s what this record is about.”
While it would be difficult to call the music ‘catchy’, the songs will definitely continue to haunt you long after the last note is played. Go ahead and take a chance on this innovative record. It is definitely worth your time and attention.
Silver Snakes will begin touring in support of this record on January 18th. You can get all the details and follow Silver Snakes at: