Sucker that I am for post rock, I’ve never given much time to Ireland’s God Is An Astronaut. I’ve heard the name plenty, and I had a couple of their albums on one of my work playlists, but I never paid close attention to it.

But when I saw that they released a new record, I made a note of it. I haven’t noticed many good post rock records this year, and I had a hunger.

And by God (who is an astronaut), this record satisfies that hunger.

I have no point of reference for where this record sits in their larger discography. This is their ninth record in their sixteen-year tenure—admittedly not the best jumping-in point. They could be entirely phoning it in at this point, and I wouldn’t be the wiser.

All I know is that this record moves me. From the sparse piano lines of tracks like “Komerabi” to the grooving electronics of “Mortal Coil” to the crushing heavy metal catharsis that closes “Seance Room,” this record makes excellent use of disparate elements.

Synth lines weave in and out of delayed guitar licks. The drums shift from programmed beats to urgent builds to pop-rock grooves to all-out punishment. Electronics glitch through spare atmospheres. Naturally, the album is mostly in a minor key (read: emotive post rock), so don’t look for any feel-good tracks here. In fact, if there’s any criticism to make on this record at all, it’s that the songs are a bit too morose.

But that comes with the territory of post rock. And on Epitaph, the Other Kinsella Brothers and Friends show off their mastery of atmosphere, melody, and texture. The opening track, “Epitaph” is a perfect thesis statement. A quiet piano line plays through an eerie ambiance. As it continues, it’s joined by electronic beats. The atmosphere grows more menacing before exploding into a sludgy wall of electric guitars and a menacing, heavy drum beat. The catharsis gives way to a new piano melody. The song builds, almost triumphantly, accompanied by wordless vocals before ending with a ring of reverb.

It’s a perfect microcosm of the rest of the album, which expands on each of the elements with master craftsmanship. This will likely end up being an introductory record for me, but at this point, I feel safe saying that it stands tall on its own, even without their impressive lineage standing around it.