Making music as we live and breathe
For the band Absolute Silence, every mile of their journey is recorded in their music. With the release of their most recent single, “OMG,” the trio of friends and bandmates—lead singer Steven Okoniewski, bassist Robert Darmstadt, and drummer Harrison Nemarich—has reached new heights that they are excited to share with their audiences.
“Absolute Silence is like an empty canvas,” explained Okoniewski. The band’s name was born from the creative process itself; when Okoniewski was writing, he would ask for “absolute silence” so he could work in peace. “The whole genesis of my songwriting is just needing a break for a second.”
Okoniewski first formed an early iteration of Absolute Silence while serving in the Navy in San Diego, but the core trio came together while attending Belmont University. He met Darmstadt on the first day of school, and both recall seeing Nemarich “walking by, twirling a pair of drumsticks.” It clicked instantly between the three of them.
By coincidence, they were all from the Northeast—Darmstadt from Horseheads, New York; Nemarich from Avon, Connecticut; and Okoniewski from Bethlehem, New York.
“I think we all show a level of gratitude toward our hometowns for encouraging us to pursue music,” said Okoniewski. “I grew up playing trombone in a marching band and jazz. I’ve been playing bars and venues around Albany since I was 16 years old.”
Despite their shared passion, their musical upbringings were wildly different. Okoniewski was raised on The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Billy Joel, while Nemarich grew up listening to Motown, classical music, Black Sabbath, and Nirvana.
“It was a weird combination of my mother’s classical roots and my own interest in picking up drums and finding music that sounded like that,” Nemarich laughed.
“I really found my musical personality when I started exploring the depths of different genres,” added Darmstadt. “I have a very underground, rock-rooted theme in my head when I play, which is super cool with these two because it’s the opposite of what they grew up doing. When it comes together, it does a lot of crazy, cool things.”
“In our bio, we describe him as a jazz pianist and EDM-loving bass player,” joked Okoniewski. “We have a level of flexibility.”
Since their first meeting at Belmont, the trio has been making music together. Their tour has taken them across the country, and they’ve learned to adapt. They found their place in Nashville amid stiff competition, kept up with Las Vegas’ party spirit, rocked in Nebraska, and met the high expectations of Californian audiences.
“I like describing us as kind of a chameleon,” said Darmstadt. “We take the energy of any new show and really mold ourselves into exactly what that crowd is looking for.”
“A lot of times, it’s super high-energy, and everyone is partying. Other times, if it’s a huge music-loving crowd, we’ll sit down and play songs that take people on a journey,” he continued. “It really depends on where and when.”
“It’s a musical journey that covers all the bases for the audience we’re performing for,” agreed Nemarich.
The band credits their single “OMG” with launching their entire tour. After its release, their following skyrocketed, nearly quintupling in two months. As a result, venues have eagerly welcomed them as they’ve toured Europe and North America.
“It was created because we started doing these regular shows and wanted to get people to dance,” said Okoniewski. He described the song as a reflection of their current musical niche—upbeat music that keeps the audience moving.
Despite fully embracing their high-energy sound, musical diversity remains a priority for the band’s future. “I have such a love for ballads and expressing different dimensions of our musicality—to give Bob a moment on piano and Harry a crazy drum solo,” enthused Okoniewski.
Absolute Silence’s newest EP, “Famous Last Words,” will be released on Wednesday, Feb. 12. A live EP recorded at Darmstadt’s aunt’s lake house on Keuka Lake, “Famous Last Words” is an ode to authenticity in the creative process, something deeply important to them.
“It’s so cool to see the trust we have in each other grow almost every day—the ability to fill in the gaps when we’re writing a song,” said Darmstadt.
“We’re in the space, and it just happens. Everyone trusts what’s going on, and we know Harrison is going to do exactly what the song needs. All of the spice and flavors the song needs really come out when that happens,” he added.
“We’re also together,” said Nemarich. “Especially on this tour, we’re together 24/7. But even back in Nashville, we’re together every day. We’re inadvertently assisting the writing process, even if it’s not an active writing session.”
As a band, they see themselves as “adventurers and travelers,” eager to incorporate influences ranging from Middle Eastern and Latin music to European and Southern sounds. “We want to be unapologetically ourselves, but I think who we are at our core is three music lovers,” said Okoniewski.
In addition to their upcoming EP, new music is already on the horizon. They are teasing a double single that they describe as “funky, dance-y, and groovy.” They are also eager to break down the barrier between themselves and their audience by sharing content on Instagram (@absolutesilencetheband), TikTok (@absolute.silence.theband), YouTube, and their podcast.
“Playing music is how we create, and it’s how we live. It is our life,” said Okoniewski. “This is what we love and how we breathe and bleed.”
