Post-Rock

BIG|BRAVE – Ardor Review

By Roquentin on September 15, 2017 in 2017, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Experimental Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Southern Lord, Doom Metal, Experimental Metal, Noise Metal, Post-Metal, 52 comments

“Ardor, the third full-length by Montrealers BIG|BRAVE opens with a sustained, unending riff. As it reverberates eerily, it suggests that the trio picked up right where they left off with their sophomore release Au De La, veering even further into fields of textures and sparse instrumentation. Their signature sound is a combination of elements from multiple genres and idioms, from post-rock to drone, shaped into an experimental, caustic, and often hermetic concoction.” Bliss in the abyss.

Magma Waves – …And Who Will Take Care of You Now Review

By Kronos on September 14, 2017 in 2017, Instrumental Metal, Narshardaa Records, Post-Rock, Reviews, Instrumental Metal, 24 comments

“Not all who wander are lost. In fact, many wanderers know exactly where they are – in the first two-thirds of a post-rock song. Love or hate it, the “crescendo-core” formula has been a successful one, and Magma Waves are not out to challenge it with their debut …And Who Will Take Care of You Now, a record that finds its groove somewhere in roads well-trodden by the likes of If these Trees Could Talk and God Is an Astronaut.” Building it up to tear it down.

GlerAkur – The Mountains Are Beautiful Now Review

By Akerblogger on July 24, 2017 in 2017, Icelandic Metal, Post-Rock, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, 22 comments

“It will be a long time before I can afford to visit Iceland, so I rely on music created by the likes of GlerAkur, an instrumental project of National Theater of Iceland sound engineer Elvar Geir Sævarsson, to deliver hearty wedges of this magical land to my adoring ears. Sævarsson’s seen its sights, breathed its air, and felt its magic, and from this he’s carved his vision of Iceland into a solid block of music.” Affordable ear travel.

Impure Wilhelmina – Radiation Review

By Grymm on July 7, 2017 in 2017, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Season of Mist, Swiss Metal, Post-Metal, 107 comments

“It doesn’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that musical, rhythmic, melodic swing, baby. So with that in mind, I grabbed Radiation, the sixth full-length from Swiss post-metallers Impure Wilhelmina on a blind whim, having never heard a note from them prior. Only bad things can happen, right?” Take the impurity test.

The Soundbyte – Solitary IV Review

By GardensTale on July 4, 2017 in 2017, Ambient Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Temple of Torturous Records, Ambient Metal, Progressive Rock, 21 comments

“Norway’s The Soundbyte, a project of The 3rd and the Mortal guitarist Trond Engum, seeks to improve the reputation of scene-setting noisescapes with its 4th experimental platter, Solitary IV. Full disclaimer, it’s only tangentially in the camp of metal, but few experimental albums are and the material on display here is not something we want to keep from you. Let’s get to it.” We’re givers.

Sólstafir – Berdreyminn Review

By Madam X on June 5, 2017 in 2017, Ambient Metal, Hard Rock, Icelandic Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Season of Mist, Ambient Metal, Hard Rock, Post-Metal, 46 comments

“Anybody familiar with Sólstafir’s discography, knows that they’re agents of change. Where Í blóði og anda was steeped in abrasive black metal, Svartir sandar signalled a turning point for the band, showing signs of the post-rock/metal that Sólstafir would ultimately refine on their later releases. Do I have high expectations for Berdreyminn? Hell yes!” Great expectations is a depressing story.

Les Discrets – Prédateurs Review

By Mark Z. on April 21, 2017 in 2017, French Metal, Post-Rock, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Shoegaze, Shoegaze, 24 comments

“Prepare to enter the realm of the Non-Metal. Formed in 2003, Les Discrets are a French project started by illustrator Fursy Teyssier as a way of musically expressing the concepts in his visual art. Post-black connoisseurs may recognize Teyssier as having played alongside Alcest’s Neige in depressive rock collective Amesoeurs, in addition to producing artwork for Empyrium, Wood of Ypres, and Alcest themselves.” Be less discreet, dammit!

Itzamna – Chascade Review

By Kronos on October 10, 2016 in 2016, Djent, French Metal, Instrumental Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Progressive Rock, 20 comments

“One of the may reasons Kronos is more trve than you is that he delves deep into the underground in search of the most obscure sounds in the metal world. The depths of depravity, the spine-twisting abominations that he unearths will challenge your very conception of brutality. Sometimes. Other times, Kronos’ musically omnivorous bandmates make him grudgingly listen to a French prog/jazz/math/djent band and he really, really likes it.” Not brutal enough!

Harakiri For The Sky – III: Trauma Review

By Mark Z. on July 19, 2016 in 2016, Art of Propaganda, Austrian Metal, Black Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Black Metal, 44 comments

“As this site’s self-appointed Angry Metal Bottom Feeder, I take it upon myself to devour all the metalcore, post-black metal, and trendy bullshit that I suspect my more evolved brethren often don’t want to touch. I guess part of me still has fond memories of older albums in these genres and continues to hold out hope that new releases will be just as good. While this means filtering through a lot of mediocrity, occasionally I’ll stumble upon a gem that makes it all worth it.” The AMG catfish may have found gold down there in the muck.

Vuolla – Blood. Stone. Sun. Down. Review

By Roquentin on June 2, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Schwarzdorn Production, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Metal, 25 comments

“In the case of Finnish five-piece Vuolla, nomen really est omen. Their name, which translates as “carve” or “whittle,” is an apt symbol of the group’s reductive and appropriating approach. As they chisel away at a body of work developed from various genres, from post-rock to death metal, it’s difficult to ignore that the essence of their sound is still based in a rehashed version of melancholic doom metal.” Turn loose the sads.