No-Big-Silence
Encyclopedia
No-Big-Silence originally known as Aggressor, is an Industrial
metal
/rock
band from Estonia
.
band Kreator
. Their first big performance was on 17 April 1990, and a year later they put together a 4 track demo which resulted in the recording of their first album, Procreate the Petrifactions
at the end of 1992. Later on they played several shows in Moscow and in 1994 they released their second album Of Long Duration Anguish
. The band was first introduced to a wider audience in the summer of 1995 at the Rock Summer festival in Estonia, where Aggressor headlined the B-stage – the crowd gave them a warm welcome.
ist Cram sung a cover version of Corrosia Metalla
's "Russian Vodka" for the album Of Long Duration Anguish
. This later resulted in the idea of changing the band's name and style.
In 1995 the band went to studio (still as Aggressor) and were suggested a name-change. In 1995 they wrote lyrics to a song titled "No-Big-Silence 99" (a street in the USA where a mass murder was committed) – so the album was titled 99
and band renamed to "No-Big-Silence".
, Russia and Scandinavia
. No-Big-Silence is valued as a live-act with an impressive show, esteemed by world class bands such as Metallica
, Iron Maiden
, Rammstein
, HIM, Motörhead, Waltari
, etc., who have chosen NBS to be their supporting act.
The chairman of the concert agency BDG, Peeter Rebane, the local promoter for Metallica
, Iron Maiden
and Rammstein
, comments: "In our opinion, No-Big-Silence is the most professional industrial band in the Baltics. Besides, they are a great live-act."
Their second release Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
was already the album of current hit-songs such as "On the Hunt" and "Vamp-o-Drama". In 2001 the album was sold in Scandinavia, Germany, Italy and other European countries through the Finnish label Cyberware Production. The homepage of Cyberware states that this album of No-Big-Silence is a magnificent masterpiece and regards it as one of the label's strongest releases today. According to Cyberware, the bonus video "Star DeLuxe" on the western version of the album gives a good overview of the band's glamorous live-show and enthusiastic fanbase. The Scandinavian music magazine Prospective Magazine thinks that Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
is a "must listen to"-album. The review in the same magazines gives No-Big-Silence 8 out of 10 points. Johan Carlsson, a reviewer for the Swedish Release Magazine distinguishes the even and uniform quality of the album. "Metal riffs melded with electronic sounds on top of rock song structures make an interesting mixture, and the vocals fit perfectly." Positively surprised, he continues: "It is nice to see an Estonian band, but don't buy it because of that. Buy it because it is good."
and at times even Rammstein
or Nine Inch Nails
.
The band's style saw small changes throughout their albums apart from their first two, Procreate the Petrifactions
and Of Long Duration Anguish
, which are death metal. "99", recorded in 1995, featured a more thrash metal sound, but at the time of the album's release the band had taken on an industrial sound which was reflected in the supposed following album "new race" which was never released until 2003 under the compilation title Unreleased.
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
can be considered their softest album as it contains a mix of metal, rock and Electronic. Unreleased is their heaviest and most electronic album and War in Wonderland
is one of the darker and most "metal" of the bands albums.
Starstealer
, released in 2009, shows the band turning darker and heavier. The artwork of the album shows a darker side of the band and the music bears much darker sound and a small hint of thrash metal
from the old days.
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
/rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
band from Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
.
Early years as Aggressor (1989–1995)
The beginnings of Aggressor lay back in 1989 when Villem Tarvas, Marek Piliste, Kristo Kotkas and Marko Atso started playing together as an unnamed band. At the start of 1990 they released their first demo album named Indestructible – the music on this recording was influenced by German thrash metalThrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Kreator
Kreator
Kreator is a thrash metal band from Essen, Germany, formed in 1978, but formalized in 1982 under the name Tormentor. They originally performed a speed metal style with Venom influences. Their style of music is similar to their compatriots Destruction and Sodom, the other two big German thrash metal...
. Their first big performance was on 17 April 1990, and a year later they put together a 4 track demo which resulted in the recording of their first album, Procreate the Petrifactions
Procreate the Petrifactions
Procreate the Petrifactions is the debut album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor released in 1993.Aggressor was founded back in 1989 when their first rehearsals started. In the beginning of 1990 they "released" their first demo "Indestructible". Their first official gig was on April 17, 1990;...
at the end of 1992. Later on they played several shows in Moscow and in 1994 they released their second album Of Long Duration Anguish
Of Long Duration Anguish
Of Long Duration Anguish is the second album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor. This was the last album the band did under the name Aggressor before being renamed to "No-Big-Silence" in 1996....
. The band was first introduced to a wider audience in the summer of 1995 at the Rock Summer festival in Estonia, where Aggressor headlined the B-stage – the crowd gave them a warm welcome.
Change of style and renaming to No-Big-Silence (1995–1996)
In 1994 bass guitarBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Cram sung a cover version of Corrosia Metalla
Corrosia Metalla
Corrosia Metalla is a Russian thrash metal band. It is notorious for its provocative black humour lyrics and public performances...
's "Russian Vodka" for the album Of Long Duration Anguish
Of Long Duration Anguish
Of Long Duration Anguish is the second album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor. This was the last album the band did under the name Aggressor before being renamed to "No-Big-Silence" in 1996....
. This later resulted in the idea of changing the band's name and style.
In 1995 the band went to studio (still as Aggressor) and were suggested a name-change. In 1995 they wrote lyrics to a song titled "No-Big-Silence 99" (a street in the USA where a mass murder was committed) – so the album was titled 99
99 (album)
99 is an album by Estonian metal band No-Big-Silence, released in 1997. 99 is their first album after the band changed its name from "Aggressor" to "No-Big-Silence".-Track listing:# "Eye of a Needle"# "Come"# "Distinguished"# "Scarred"# "Senses"...
and band renamed to "No-Big-Silence".
Success (1996–present)
After the 1995 Rock Summer festival, No-Big-Silence has successfully performed at larger festivals as well as at smaller clubs in Estonia, the Baltic StatesBaltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
, Russia and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. No-Big-Silence is valued as a live-act with an impressive show, esteemed by world class bands such as Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, HIM, Motörhead, Waltari
Waltari
Waltari is a band from Finland, known for its diversity and combination of music styles, frequently combining alternative metal, progressive metal, death metal, hard rock, heavy metal, hip hop, industrial, pop, punk, rap, symphonic metal, techno and thrash metal.Most of the band's music is written...
, etc., who have chosen NBS to be their supporting act.
The chairman of the concert agency BDG, Peeter Rebane, the local promoter for Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
, comments: "In our opinion, No-Big-Silence is the most professional industrial band in the Baltics. Besides, they are a great live-act."
Their second release Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful is an album released in 2000 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.It is was recorded by Finnish record company Cyberware Productions.It did well on release and in 2001 went on sale in other countries....
was already the album of current hit-songs such as "On the Hunt" and "Vamp-o-Drama". In 2001 the album was sold in Scandinavia, Germany, Italy and other European countries through the Finnish label Cyberware Production. The homepage of Cyberware states that this album of No-Big-Silence is a magnificent masterpiece and regards it as one of the label's strongest releases today. According to Cyberware, the bonus video "Star DeLuxe" on the western version of the album gives a good overview of the band's glamorous live-show and enthusiastic fanbase. The Scandinavian music magazine Prospective Magazine thinks that Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful is an album released in 2000 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.It is was recorded by Finnish record company Cyberware Productions.It did well on release and in 2001 went on sale in other countries....
is a "must listen to"-album. The review in the same magazines gives No-Big-Silence 8 out of 10 points. Johan Carlsson, a reviewer for the Swedish Release Magazine distinguishes the even and uniform quality of the album. "Metal riffs melded with electronic sounds on top of rock song structures make an interesting mixture, and the vocals fit perfectly." Positively surprised, he continues: "It is nice to see an Estonian band, but don't buy it because of that. Buy it because it is good."
Musical style
The music of NBS has been variously described as sounding very much like Marilyn MansonMarilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
and at times even Rammstein
Rammstein
Rammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
or Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
.
The band's style saw small changes throughout their albums apart from their first two, Procreate the Petrifactions
Procreate the Petrifactions
Procreate the Petrifactions is the debut album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor released in 1993.Aggressor was founded back in 1989 when their first rehearsals started. In the beginning of 1990 they "released" their first demo "Indestructible". Their first official gig was on April 17, 1990;...
and Of Long Duration Anguish
Of Long Duration Anguish
Of Long Duration Anguish is the second album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor. This was the last album the band did under the name Aggressor before being renamed to "No-Big-Silence" in 1996....
, which are death metal. "99", recorded in 1995, featured a more thrash metal sound, but at the time of the album's release the band had taken on an industrial sound which was reflected in the supposed following album "new race" which was never released until 2003 under the compilation title Unreleased.
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful
Successful, Bitch & Beautiful is an album released in 2000 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.It is was recorded by Finnish record company Cyberware Productions.It did well on release and in 2001 went on sale in other countries....
can be considered their softest album as it contains a mix of metal, rock and Electronic. Unreleased is their heaviest and most electronic album and War in Wonderland
War In Wonderland
War In Wonderland is an album released in 2006 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.It consists of songs recorded from 2002 to 2006...
is one of the darker and most "metal" of the bands albums.
Starstealer
Starstealer
Starstealer is an album released in 2009 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.The first single is "Chain Me".-Track listing:Lyics written by Cram; music written by Willem.# "Chain Me" – 4:18# "Starstealer" – 4:46...
, released in 2009, shows the band turning darker and heavier. The artwork of the album shows a darker side of the band and the music bears much darker sound and a small hint of thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
from the old days.
"No-Big-Silence, unlike most of the hard rock bands, that get their inspiration from mysticism, concentrates on expressing the twists and turns of human psychology in the language of pop music. It is a great achievement in itself – to sound tough and delicate at the same time."
- – Marko Mägi from Eesti Ekspress weekly
As Aggressor
- Villem Tarvas – vocals, guitar (1989–1995)
- Marek Piliste – bass (1989–1995)
- Kristo Kotkas – guitar (1989–1995)
- Marko Atso – drums (1989–1995)
- Raimo Jussila – bass (1994–1995)
As No-Big-Silence
- Marek Piliste (a.k.a. Cram) – lead vocals (1995–present)
- Villem Tarvas (a.k.a. Willem) – bass, guitar, backing vocals (1995–present)
- Kristo Kotkas (a.k.a. Kristo K) – guitar, keyboards and programming (1995–present)
- Rainer Mere – drums (2008–present)
Former members
- Marko Atso – drums (1995–2000)
- Kristo Rajasaare (a.k.a. Kristo R) – drums (2000–2008)
- Raimo Jussila – bass (1994–1996)
As Aggressor
- 1990: Indestructible (demo)
- 1993: Procreate the PetrifactionsProcreate the PetrifactionsProcreate the Petrifactions is the debut album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor released in 1993.Aggressor was founded back in 1989 when their first rehearsals started. In the beginning of 1990 they "released" their first demo "Indestructible". Their first official gig was on April 17, 1990;...
- 1994: Of Long Duration AnguishOf Long Duration AnguishOf Long Duration Anguish is the second album by Estonian death metal band Aggressor. This was the last album the band did under the name Aggressor before being renamed to "No-Big-Silence" in 1996....
- 2004: Procreate the Petrifactions 2004Procreate the Petrifactions 2004Procreate the Petrifactions 2004 is a re-released version of their first album Procreate the Petrifactions but with the difference being that it comes with four extra songs that are demo versions of various songs.-Track listing:# "Legal Requirement"...
(re-release with 4 bonus tracks)
As No-Big-Silence
- produced 1995 but released as late as 1997: 9999 (album)99 is an album by Estonian metal band No-Big-Silence, released in 1997. 99 is their first album after the band changed its name from "Aggressor" to "No-Big-Silence".-Track listing:# "Eye of a Needle"# "Come"# "Distinguished"# "Scarred"# "Senses"...
- 2000: Successful, Bitch & BeautifulSuccessful, Bitch & BeautifulSuccessful, Bitch & Beautiful is an album released in 2000 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.It is was recorded by Finnish record company Cyberware Productions.It did well on release and in 2001 went on sale in other countries....
- 2003: Unreleased (late internet-only release of tracks recorded between 1996–1999)
- 2004: Kuidas kuningas kuu peale kippusKuidas kuningas kuu peale kippusKuidas kuningas Kuu peale kippus is an album released in 2004 by No-Big-Silence and Kosmikud.The singles are "Kuninga imekanad", "Sepa kahurikuul" and "Tisleri kastitorn"....
(with KosmikudKosmikudKosmikud are Estonian depressive rock group founded in 1999. They released their first album Ei roosid in 2000, after their singer Taavi Pedriks died. The remaining three members of the band – Aleksander Vana , Kristo Rajasaare and Kõmmari – decided to take a time out, rehearse and try new singers...
) - 2006: War in WonderlandWar In WonderlandWar In Wonderland is an album released in 2006 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.It consists of songs recorded from 2002 to 2006...
- 2007: Suurte Masinate MuusikaSuurte Masinate MuusikaSuurte Masinate Muusika is a live DVD by No-Big-Silence and Tiit Kikas of their concert at Leigo Järvemuusika in 2005....
(with Tiit Kikas) (live DVD of their concert at Leigo Järvemuusika in 2005) - 2009: StarstealerStarstealerStarstealer is an album released in 2009 by an Estonian industrial metal band No-Big-Silence.The first single is "Chain Me".-Track listing:Lyics written by Cram; music written by Willem.# "Chain Me" – 4:18# "Starstealer" – 4:46...