Disturbed
The Sound Of Silence

There are immortal songs that have marked their era and perfectly adapt to the changing times. Sacred songs with dreamlike content, which describe human attitudes to perfection.

We are in the mid-1960s, a troubled and chaotic historical period but teeming with ideas. And it will be the chaos that brings forth “The Sound of Silence”, which will represent a sort of lifeline for those who conceived it. Included in the first album of Simon&Garfunkel, “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.” from 1964, “The Sound of Silence” was the first great success of the American duo and their catapult into the musical Olympus of that decade. But despite the great expectations, the twelve tracks of the debut album were a commercial flop. This led to discontent and the temporary wreckage of the project, resulting in the first separation of the two childhood friends. It was thanks to Florida and Massachusetts radio stations, eager to broadcast the song in the summer of 1965, that “The Sound of Silence” was resurrected. The original acoustic version was enhanced with electric guitar and drums, creating one of the first folk-rock pieces in history. Thanks to this revitalizing new energy and renewed enthusiasm around the single, Simon&Garfunkel returned as a duo and created a sequence of new albums, starting with “Sounds of Silence” in 1966.

The lyrics of this song, like all Paul Simon's lyrics, are very profound and reflective and are incredibly adaptable to the years we are living in:

And in the naked light, I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never shared
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

A time immersed in the sound of silence, where people converse without speaking, hear without listening. Made of songs written by holders of unshared voices, because no one dares to disturb the sound of silence.

In 2015, exactly fifty years later, “Immortalized” (a fitting title for the cause), the sixth album by Disturbed, an alternative metal band from Chicago led by David Draiman, was released. Jewish like Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, David is famous for his distinctive distorted voice and rhythmic singing, which give a unique identity to the Illinois band's pieces. Besides the scratchy and aggressive vocal style, Draiman manages to showcase a very emotional melodic trait with deep tones.

His version of “The Sound of Silence”, accompanied by a very representative black and white video, gives the song a different aspect, almost more of a remake than just a cover. The piano and guitar notes, accompanied by strings in the background, lead us to singing that is initially whispered, then guttural, scratchy, and full-blooded, reaching the full release of Draiman's octaves.

The fourth verse sees the typical style of Disturbed emerging, with a vocal break that drags us to the orchestral end of the piece. Personally, and after years of listening, I find this version highly emotional and engaging, especially for the dreamlike atmosphere and tranquility it instills. Only by listening to it can one truly understand what it is about. Disturbed received compliments from Paul Simon himself, who found the piece futuristic and even deeper compared to what the original intended to be with its sound.

The Chicago band is not new to such projects. The eleventh track of their third album “Ten Thousand Fists” from 2005 (entirely dedicated to Dimebag Darrell), contained the cover of “Land of Confusion” by Genesis.

In conclusion, this reinterpretation turns out to be truly successful. I appreciate that pieces that have made the history of music find themselves wearing a different guise, thanks to artists who usually tread other paths. It is always good for music, like tastes, to be willing to set no limits and not give in to the fear of judgment. Silence, besides being enjoyable, can leave ample space for many voices.