It makes sense that I’m writing about this album when it’s 18º outside. What makes less sense is how it’s taken me so long to add it to my collection.

It’s not like I’m not a Minus the Bear fan. I saw them with mewithoutYou and Thursday a year before this record and they blew me away. Menos El Oso is one of my comfort records. David Knudson is one of my favorite guitarists, and many of my other favorite guitarists have been influenced by his two-handed tapping technique—and myself.

But as Minus the Bear’s career continued, I lost track of them. When I came back to them, it seemed like their later albums made less of a priority on technique and more on using effects to obscure the instrument entirely. As Menos el Oso had more effects work and less tapping than Highly Refined Pirates, casual listens brought me to the conclusion that the proportion between Menos and Planet of Ice was roughly the same.

Those most have been some casual listens, because I was dead wrong.

In fact, Planet of Ice might showcase the best guitar work of their career. There are plenty of warped soundscapes produced more by pedals than instrument, but not at the expense of the playing. In fact, it seems like the band—and Knudson in particular—expanded their sonic palette in every direction, offering a broader scope of sounds than anything they’d done before. Not only are the pedal loops more sophisticated and the tapping riffs even tastier, but there are some moments of heavy riffing and some David Gilmour-esque soloing. And all of this is augmented with some absolutely wonderful synth parts and absolutely immaculate drumming. This is all especially evident on the banger “Knights,” which borrows a riff from Linkin Park, and the nine-minute closer “Lotus,” which shapeshifts between math rock,indie, and classic prog.

And so it is after far too long a gap that I announce my official position that this is the best Minus the Bear record. Each of their trademark elements are shown in their fullness without sacrificing anything. And if this winter is going to continue on like this, this is going to be a vital part of its soundtrack.