Continuing to celebrate their 20-year anniversary as a band, Between The Buried and Me (BTBAM) are re-releasing their 2003 sophomore album, The Silent Circus under Craft Recordings. Just like their self-titled re-release, The Silent Circus v2 was remixed and remastered by the group’s longtime collaborator, Jamie King (Glass Casket, He Is Legend). It is the only BTBAM full-length that he did not originally produce.
The difference is evident as soon as the white noise fades out and "Lost Perfection A. Coulorphobia" begins. The mix throughout is much brighter, bringing out snappier snare drums and elevating the lead guitar melodies. King also takes liberties with various Tommy Rogers tracks, doubling and panning vocals for emphasis. With this re-release focused around vinyl, it's nice to have this added stereo imaging for vinyl enthusiasts who likely have speakers further apart.
The standout A/B track for comparison is fan-favorite, "Mordecai." The intro drum and bass could easily be confused as a cover of the song rather than a BTBAM original. But as the mix progresses, it's easy to appreciate the improvements to the smooth guitar lead and clean vocal breakdown. The only bone to pick is the kick drum trigger. Its attack is so harsh/bright it can almost be distracting during the more brutal sections of the album.
This record was BTBAM's debut on Victory Records, and was adorned by metal and hardcore enthusiasts alike, a rarity in the sub-genre wars. With this re-release, fans can hopefully look forward to the band shedding light on these songs once again in their 2020 Twitch streams and upcoming 2021 anniversary tour.
Order the album at betweentheburiedandme.com or craftrecordings.com or listen to the re-release on your favorite streaming platform.
