In Silico (Pendulum album)

In Silico
Studio album by Pendulum
Released May 05, 2008
May 12, 2008 (2008-05-12)
(See release history)
Recorded 2007-2008
Genre Drum and bass,[1] electronic rock, alternative rock, hard rock
Length 57:55 (original)
68:48 (special edition)
90:04 (iTunes)
24:24 (vinyl edition)
Label Warner Music Group, Ear Storm, Atlantic Records
Producer Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen
Pendulum chronology
Hold Your Colour
(2005)		 In Silico
(2008)		 Live at Brixton Academy
(2009)
Alternative casing
special edition embossed tin
Singles from In Silico
  1. "Granite"
    Released: 26 November 2007
  2. "Propane Nightmares"
    Released: 14 April 2008
  3. "The Other Side"
    Released: 28 July 2008
  4. "Showdown"
    Released: 5 January 2009
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]
Digital Spy [3]
Punknews.org [4]
The Guardian [5]

In Silico is the second full-length studio album by Australian band Pendulum, released in Australia and Europe on 12 May 2008 by Warner Music UK, and in America on 13 May 2008 by Atlantic. The album represents a change in sound from the band's debut album Hold Your Colour, away from drum and bass, incorporating more rock and electronic influences. The album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart on 18 May 2008.[6] Releases from the album include "Granite", "Propane Nightmares", "The Other Side" and "Showdown". Mini discs of the song "The Tempest" were thrown out to the audience of the "Project Rev" live show.

The expression "in silico", from which the album title is derived, is used to mean "performed on computer or via computer simulation", however group member Gareth McGrillen also commented on the way it plays upon Nirvana's well-known album title In Utero (meaning "born naturally" or "of the uterus") and thus carries extra shades of meaning related to being "born synthetically",[7] thus explaining the album's cover motif of a baby or fetus displayed inside a circular design (likely representing a synthetic ovum), and the circuits around the ovum clearly resembling sperm, which in turn references the blend of natural and synthesised sounds of the music therein.

Contents

Release and reception

Critical reception to the album has been mixed, with most of the polarization coming from Pendulum's shift from drum and bass to a more rock and pop-imbued electronic sound. Allmusic praised that "Pendulum is determined to heal the breach" between rock and electronica,[8] however The Guardian felt that the sound was "a little dated".[9]

Many fans of the first album have criticized In Silico for the change of genre, however, because of the album's popularity, and with singles being played on television music channels such as Kerrang!, Pendulum have managed to attract a new group of fans. Q Magazine named both lead single "Granite" and "Propane Nightmares" in the top 50 songs of the months in which they were released.

The line in "Mutiny" ("In through rays of your reflection, we enter from a terminal connection") comes from "The Terminal" on their first album Hold Your Colour.

The songs "Granite" and "Showdown" feature on the off-road game Pure, "Granite", "9,000 Miles" and "The Tempest" can be heard in Need for Speed: Undercover. A portion of "Showdown" also appears in the 2008 film, Punisher: War Zone in addition to an episode of CSI: NY. Also, part of the song "Mutiny" appears in a Verizon Wireless commercial, and a section of "The Other Side" appeared in an episode of Eastenders on the 6th August 2010.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Rob Swire. 

Original release
No. Title Length
1. "Showdown"   5:27
2. "Different"   5:51
3. "Propane Nightmares"   5:13
4. "Visions"   5:36
5. "Midnight Runner"   6:55
6. "The Other Side"   5:15
7. "Mutiny"   5:09
8. "9,000 Miles"   6:26
9. "Granite"   4:41
10. "The Tempest"   7:27
Total length:
 57:55
Special edition
No. Title Length
11. "Propane Nightmares" (VIP remix) 5:22
12. "Propane Nightmares" (Celldweller remix) 5:34
13. "Propane Nightmares music video" (edit)  
14. "Granite live video" (from the Electric Ballroom)  
Total length:
 68:48

iTunes release

The standard album was released over iTunes, along with a 'Bonus Tracks Version'. This version came with a digital booklet, a music video of Propane Nightmares and Granite, as well as three Propane Nightmares remixes, and a track ("In Silico Showcase") featuring excerpts from the first 10 tracks.[10]

Bonus tracks
No. Title Length
11. "Propane Nightmares" (VIP remix) 5:22
12. "Propane Nightmares" (Celldweller remix) 5:34
13. "Propane Nightmares" (VST remix) 4:48
14. "Granite" (music video) 3:41
15. "Propane Nightmares" (music video) 5:20
16. "In Silico Showcase"   5:24
Total length:
 90:04

Vinyl edition

In Silico EP
No. Title Side Length
1. "Showdown"   A 5:27
2. "Visions"   B 5:36
3. "Midnight Runner"   C 6:55
4. "9,000 Miles"   D 6:26
Total length:
 24:24

March mini-mix release

On 26 March 2008, Pendulum released a 12-minute mini-mix of the album – known as In Silico (El-Hornet Mini-Mix) – available only to those who are registered on their website. The track listing is as follows:

  1. "Showdown"
  2. "Granite"
  3. "Granite" (Dillinja remix)
  4. "Granite" (Breakfastaz remix)
  5. "Visions"
  6. "The Other Side"
  7. "Propane Nightmares" (VST remix)
  8. "Different"
  9. "Mutiny"
  10. "Propane Nightmares"
  11. "Propane Nightmares" (VIP remix)
  12. "Propane Nightmares" (Celldweller remix)
  13. "Midnight Runner"
  14. "9000 Miles"
  15. "The Tempest"

Samples

Chart performance

Charts (2008) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart [11] 9
New Zealand Albums Chart [6] 21
UK Albums Chart [6] 2
U.S. Billboard Top Electronic Albums [12] 16
U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers [12] 50

Release history

Country Release Date
Europe May 12, 2008 (2008-05-12)
United States May 13, 2008 (2008-05-13)

Personnel

Pendulum
Additional personnel
  • Andy Greenwood - trumpet on "Propane Nightmares"
  • Craig Wild - trumpet on "Propane Nightmares"
  • Andy Wood - trombone on "Propane Nightmares"
  • Christopher Mayhew - talkbox vocals on "The Other Side"

References

  1. ^ "In Silico - Pendulum". Ciao.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  2. ^ Allmusic review
  3. ^ Digital Spy review
  4. ^ Punknews.org review
  5. ^ The Guardian review
  6. ^ a b c "World Music Charts". acharts.us. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Pendulum D 'n' B from Down Under". inthenews.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
  8. ^ Greene, Jo-Ann "In Silico Overview". Allmusic. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  9. ^ Cooper, Leonie "Pendulum, In Silico". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  10. ^ In Silico (Bonus Tracks Version). UK iTunes Store. Retrieved 5 July 2008.
  11. ^ "Australian Music Charts". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
  12. ^ a b "Billboard Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 11 June 2008.
Pendulum
Rob Swire · Gareth McGrillen · Paul Harding · Ben Mount · Peredur ap Gwynedd · Kevin Sawka
Paul Kodish
Studio albums
Hold Your Colour (2005) · In Silico (2008) · Immersion (2010)
Live albums
Singles
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