Post Rock
Record #355: Comrades – Lone/Grey (2016)
Record #352: Alcest – Kodama (2016)
2014′s Shelter, however, seemed content to glide along in shoegaze territory without shifting gears very often. It was a decent album, but the lack of teeth was a little bit of a disappointment. After all–can you really call it blackgaze if there’s nothing black metal about it?
“Mais non!” said Alcest, unleashing upon us Kodama, a concept album based on the works of Hayao Miyazaki (so they say–the lyrics are in French so I can’t verify. That is, when the lyrics aren’t Sigur Ros style ad libs).
And it. is. heavy.
From the opening strains, Kodama plants its feet firmly on the bedrock and refuses to give way. Don’t go in expecting all double bass and chugged guitars–there’s still plenty of post rock prettiness and clean vocals. But its heft is often more emotional than dynamic, relying more on the strength of its composition and atmosphere than just playing fast and loud.
But for all of this, its forty-two minutes seem to fly by in a breeze, demanding repeat listens (a quality even Les Voyages lacked). And it will certainly get those from me.
Record #342: Hammock – Everything and Nothing (2016)
Record #341: Hammock – Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow (2008)
Instead of boring, the album plays as sixty minutes of absolute serenity.
Which isn’t to say there isn’t any tension–the album starts to pick up steam as it goes on, the reverberated guitars pushing the amps to their breaking point, achieving the same affect as other instrumental outfits with half the sonic palette.
Record #332: ISIS – In The Absence Of Truth (2006)
Record #330: Alcest – Les Voyages de L’Âme (2012)
I don’t like a lot of metal (chuggity chugs, show yourself out. You too, obnoxious tapping solos), but the metal that I DO like, I absolutely love. ISIS, Palms, Jesu, Pelican, Russian Circles, Pallbearer, Deafheaven, Thrice (are too metal, shush), Wolves in the Throne Room…
I’ve joked that I like my metal like Ben Carson: black, not progressive, and kinda sleepy.
Dynamically, there’s a lot of soft/loud changes that black metal rarely gets into (never, if the purists have anything to say about it). Clean guitar lines saturated with reverb (more Perfect Circle or ISIS than Explosions in the Sky) tensely build into frenzied bursts of clanging drums and ripping guitar tremolos.
And while a majority of the album features sung vocals and less extreme drums, there are few moments of sheer black metal catharsis, shrieking, blast beats and all, like the climax of “Là où Naissent les Couleurs Nouvelles” (“Where New Colors are Born”) or the entirety of “Beings of Light” which would be a straight black metal song were it not for the ethereal choir and angelic alto that run through it.
Also, unlike most metal, much of this record plays in 6/8 time, giving a balladic feel even to some of the more aggressive numbers like “Faiseurs de Mondes” (“Makers of Worlds”). Closer “Summer’s Glory” restrains itself, pulling larger portions of cinematic post rock than metal to end the album on as victorious a note as they can muster, and they can muster quite a bit.
All in all, Les Voyages de L’Âme takes the most heartstring-pulling tricks from black metal, post rock, and shoegaze and throws them together in one beautiful, gorgeous whole. There’s not a bad moment on this disc–every second is aurally breathtaking and dripping with joie de vivre. And as someone who loves triumphant, melodic metal, Alcest is a revelation to me.
Record #313: Explosions in the Sky – Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever
In terms of climax-chasing, bombastic post rock, Explosions in the Sky are the poster boys. While “cinematic” gets thrown around a lot with post rock, EitS actually make soundtracks. Continue reading
Record #306: Do Make Say Think – Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn (2003)
I have spoken before about the two major camps post rock. On the one hand, you have the cinematic climax chasers like Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Explosions in the Sky. These are the thrill seekers, the masters of bombast and heart wrenching emoting. On the other, you have a more measured, cerebral approach, utilized by bands like Tortoise, Collections of Colonies of Bees, and Do Make Say Think. These groups are closer to architects than artists, but that doesn’t mean their works are any leas awe inspiring. After all, the Sistine Chapel isn’t notable for the ceiling alone. These groups get most of their affect not from crescendo and decrescendo, but from construction and deconstruction.
Record #284: EF – Ceremonies (2013)
A few weeks back I was trying to sell my Sigur Ros box set and someone in a vinyl forum on Facebook inquired about it. The price was too high, but he said, “since you like post rock so much, you should check out EF.”
So I hopped on Spotify and gave it a listen.