A band and its development

Billy Talent are one of the established names in the rock scene, between punk, post hardcore and alternative rock paired with an unobtrusive catchiness, the Canadians played at least with their strong work "Billy Talent II" in the first division of the scene. Singer Ben Kowalewicz counts for me both to be the best singer and the best Screamern of alternative rock music, which is not even is sure to vocal techniques, but rather to the intensity of his voice that simply can represent brilliantly different moods - from despair about anger, perplexity, and grief up to being in love, that succeeds usually only a few. Also features Billy Talent from a uniquely distorted guitar sound, which never really was there as before. These strong basslines come in just about every song and precise drumming.

The selection on this disc Greatest Hits is just right to understand the development of boys predominated at the beginning many screams, these were used towards the end as a stylistic device often. The lyrics range from personal to political and always convince with good songwriting, which comes either very subtly and with plenty of room for interpretation or very directly and bluntly. The texts come but never put or bald, but leave enough room to easily abzufeiern in music.
The tracklist begins with three songs from their self-titled first album, which they recorded as Billy Talent - "Try Honesty", "River Below" and "Nothing to Lose". The song appears partially as barking, it is screaming, the guitars are bone dry, dark and hard or screeching high with Ben a race, but the background vocals are often hymnal and bass and drums propel each song forward. Especially "Nothing to Lose", one of my favorite songs, but also shows what a strong voice for Ben, when it comes to clean singing.
The four songs are from Billy Talent II - "Devil in a Midnight Mass", "Red Flag", "Fallen Leaves", "Surrender". I am particularly pleased that it has "Devil in a Midnight Mass" managed on the disc, the brilliant song about rape comes in for Billy Talent sometimes quite unusual but somehow typical garb therefore, between punk and metal, with a really brutal guitar riff which shimmers all the time threatening to the song, up to Ben's explosion at the end. "Red Flag" is the political classics of guys, always brilliant and probably one of the most known songs with the following "Fallen Leaves".
The next two tracks are from Billy Talent III - "Devil on My Shoulder" and "Rusted from the Rain". Without a doubt two great numbers, especially "Rusted from the Rain" will be aware even radio listeners. One notices that while the sound is still typical Billy Talent, but is a bit slower in "Devil on My Shoulder", we can say almost sluggish, but that also suits their sound, even if it is the release of Billy Talent III was often criticized. Too bad I find though that "Turn Your Back" is not with this, but this is now not worth mentioning.
Here are three songs from Dead Silence - "Viking Death March", "Surprise Surprise" and "Stand Up and Run". Dead Silence is not called not Billy Talent IV, one can indeed partially regarded as back to the roots, but here increased alternative rock and rock elements joined added. Especially the first two songs are still relatively classic Billy Talent punk belter, very political, very fast and really in your face, to put it at the latest in the choruses without further ado. But what one notices that expected Scream deposits, as they are known from the first two albums, often fail to materialize. For the lyrics, especially in "Surprise Surprise" in some places are almost cynical, well that was found rarely on the previous albums. "Stand Up and Run" is then a pure Alt-rock track, very catchy, with very calm start without drums, has its strength in its anthemic nature that could bring in a wonderful stadium.
To top off the men have brought two new songs on the disk to which you can really look forward to. The first is called "Kingdom of Zod" and is a great straight forward punk song with great lyrics in typical Billy Talent robe à la "Red Flag" mixed with a little alternative rock of Dead Silence-time, the song is but partially, as to mentioned the beginning, almost barking, so it is a real pleasure. At the conclusion follows something very unusual, the acoustic title "Chasing the Sun", which represents an ingenious end. Both text and arrangement make goose bumps, that's grief coping with the special kind and brings the listener again and again to swallow, but the lump in the throat will not go away easily, placing at the end so it fits well, because the mood after Song easy does not tear and you will not hear for the next few minutes, but silence or again this number.

Finally, one can only say that this Greatest Hits album shows the evolution of Billy Talent perfect. The selection I really like, the additional new songs, one stronger than the other, make you want to a new studio album and a tour hits. The result is a compilation that is of course a must-have for all Billy Talent fans, but also for Billy Talent newcomers represents a good starting point.