Ed Silva’s Cries of Redemption dropped “This Is What It Feels Like” on February 5th, and it’s a deliberate pivot for the project. After the success of last year’s Abstract album, Silva and vocalist Maria Duque decided to run what they’re openly calling an A/B test on their sound. The comparisons to Evanescence and Lacuna Coil have been flattering, sure, but they’ve also boxed the project into a corner. This track is an attempt to break out of that while keeping the core DNA intact. The twist? They’re incorporating Broadway-style vocal arrangements into their NuMetal foundation, which sounds ambitious on paper and turns out to be exactly that in execution.
Maria Duque’s performance here is the centerpiece. Her choruses feature a six-voice harmony ensemble that layers theatrical vocal intensity over COR’s signature punch, all backed by a string ensemble. It’s a brutal vocal assault in the best sense, taking the emotional theatricality of Broadway and slamming it into the weight and aggression of modern metal. The arrangement doesn’t dilute either influence but instead finds the overlap between them. Where Abstract leaned into cinematic trap rhythms and deep house textures to keep things unpredictable, this track leans harder into orchestral bombast. The strings aren’t just decoration, they’re structural, giving the song a sweeping, almost operatic quality that still feels grounded in the riff-heavy approach Silva’s known for. Duque’s vocal performance is transformative here, not just in range but in how she navigates the Broadway-style harmonies without losing the raw edge that makes COR’s sound work.
Ed Silva’s history on ReverbNation dates back to 2006, long before the instant content era took over. With Abstract, he proved he could execute genre-bending without it feeling forced. This new track pushes that approach further, spotlighting Duque’s increasingly active co-producer role and her ability to redefine what COR can sound like without abandoning what made it compelling in the first place.
