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Age of Silence

NON-METAL

Norway · formed 2004 · last active 2005

Age of Silence is a Norwegian avant-garde progressive metal 'supergroup' formed in Oslo in 2004 by keyboardist Andy Winter of Winds, drawing members from Mayhem, Arcturus, The Kovenant, and Solefald. Their sole album, Acceleration (2004, The End Records), pairs 'aggressive guitar grind' with Winter's gothic, classically-tinged piano and synths, occasionally veering into pure electronic beats, per a Sputnikmusic review. A follow-up EP, Complications – Trilogy of Intricacy (2005), preceded a long hiatus for the project.

YouTube

SCORE PROFILE

JazzyBalkanHardcoreSurfBarbershopDeathBlackTechnicalGlitchTheatricalFolkDoomDroneShoegazeAmbient8-bit
Jazzy0
Balkan0
Hardcore0
Surf0
Barbershop0
Death2
Black2
Technical6
Glitch2
Theatrical4
Folk0
Doom0
Drone0
Shoegaze0
Ambient3
8-bit0

Accent numbers counted towards the index. Hover an axis — or hold it on a phone — for what it means.

WHY THOSE SCORES

  • Death 2Sputnikmusic's review of Acceleration notes 'aggressive guitar grind' underpinning the keyboard-led arrangements.
  • Black 2Nearly the full lineup (Nedland, von Blomberg) comes from the Norwegian black metal scene, coloring the guitar sections, though the album itself is prog-driven overall (Sputnikmusic).
  • Technical 6Reviewers describe 'a very strange and keyboard-heavy take on avant-garde metal,' with long piano runs layered over aggressive guitar and double bass (Sputnikmusic).
  • Glitch 2Sputnikmusic notes 'electronic beats' that surface briefly and unpredictably across the album, appearing only once each.
  • Theatrical 4Andy Winter's 'gothic,' classical-tinged piano lends the record a dramatic, staged quality (Sputnikmusic).
  • Ambient 3Winter's synthesizer work is described as going 'completely spacey' at points (Sputnikmusic).

MEMBERS

CONNECTIONS

member · 7
artwork · 9
  • Between the Buried and Mepath →

    Both bands' cover art is by Travis Smith (Discogs artist id 1829438, Seempieces): Between the Buried and Me's "Immersed" (2005, Artwork) and Age of Silence's own Travis Smith-credited release. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Part of Smith's existing 9-band client cluster, now 10 with this addition. source ↗

  • Casualties of Coolpath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Artwork" credit on Casualties of Cool's Casualties of Cool (2014), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Deathpath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Artwork [Artwork By]" credit on Death's The Sound of Perseverance (1998) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Devin Townsend (maximalist era)path →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Artwork" credit on Devin Townsend's Ziltoid the Omniscient (2007), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Opethpath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Artwork" credit on Opeth's Blackwater Park (2001) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Soulflysatellitepath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Layout" credit on Soulfly's Omen (2010) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Strapping Young Ladpath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Artwork [Visuals]" credit on Strapping Young Lad's SYL (2003), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Testamentpath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Artwork" credit on Testament's First Strike Still Deadly (2008 reissue) and "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

  • Windspath →

    Both bands' cover art was done by freelance illustrator Travis Smith: "Design [Graphics Design], Artwork [Artwork Photography], Layout" credit on Age of Silence's Acceleration (2004) and "Design, Layout" credit on Winds' Reflections of the I (2002), both confirmed via Discogs extraartists. Pairwise artwork tie per the 2026-08-07 ruling (PROTOCOL rule 7) — Smith is not an atlas band member so there is no anchor band. Companion credit logged in research/edge-taxonomy-ledger.json. source ↗

label · 33

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