As a singer, it's hard to sell me on instrumental bands, but there are a few exceptions, this band being one. Melodic guitar playing and a bit of a metallic drive make them more memorable. I think Pelican was the first band I was introduced to doing this sort of thing, though I was already a fan of Mogwai; those guys were more atmospheric drug music. Russian Circles blends both worlds. Some albums have been heavier than others; some found them almost wanting to lean in a black metal direction, when if they had a burly lumberjack barking in the background, they would be a sludge band. The hammering of the second song, "Empath," lends weight to this theory. The dense guitar sound creates a sonic wall that closes in on you.
At eight and a half minutes, 'Eluvial' leans more toward their atmospheric side, which is more typical of the post-rock genre. But it is kept balanced here and still makes for an effective listen that hooks you in without the benefit of vocal hooks. There is a similar vibe later on with "Meridian," though that one is a little more brooding and melancholic. 'E2" has some cool electronic sounds in its pulse, which finds the band mixing it enough to keep you interested. The only time they drone is on "Meridian"
The last song ends with more of a heavy crunch; the only issue with this is that when I just left it playing, the stream started back on the first song, and I could not tell that it had changed songs which for me as a red flag that the songs sound the same; granted, when it comes to instrumental music, this is one of the more common problems, there were only a couple moments where I felt like they were doing something new, but when they do what they do they do it well, so fans might just have asound they want more than soungs, They are skilled at this and made the album they sought to make so I will give it a 9.5. Not sure how many times I will revisit this album, but post-rock fans should make it required listening.Drops August 28th on Sargent House.
I really loved 'Forever Blue', some of her other work was released under my radar, so glad to hear from her again. The opening track, "Poison," which is one of the lead singles, makes it clear that she is not just another haunted folk crooner, as it locks into a solid groove. There is a more depressive vibe to the second, which carries a more minimal arrangement and a slight drone to allow her room to lay the vocals over. The swell of the song has more in common with post-rock. There is more of a grooving motion to "Little By Little." Which, even with the synth darkening things in the background it is the most accessible song thus far. This comes from how the vocals interplay with the drums. The guitars slowly build to expand the dynamics.
"Hold it Together" finds her vocals holding onto a fragile piano chord progression. This was one of the first three singles released for the album. It's a power ballad of sorts, as you are led to believe it's going to stay in the direction it was headed for the first half of the song until the guitar comes in. It pulls everything together and makes it make sense. There is a more pastoral post-rock feel to 'Outlines," which she once again slowly builds but with a slight country twang filling the empty spaces. The fact that she takes the songs into the places she does is half the appeal. There is a melancholy wandering to this album that is not overtly dark enough to be called goth.
She often gets called "death gospel," and I am not hearing it on this album. Of course, it can be premature to second-guess where she is going to take any of these songs. "I've Seen Enough" has more of a folk feel, with a slight touch of jazz underpinning the vocal phrashing. You have to allow yourself to get midway into her songs before you can be certain of what she is going for. This forces me to withhold judgment when calling something a ballad, as she could bust out with driving guitars at any moment, but that does not happen on "I've Seen Enough." The drums stay pretty minimal. "The Veil" heads in a similar direction. In fact, it starts off even more minimal. It turns out that one actually a ballad. She does not need driving drums, but it is a lot cooler when she has them, as proven on "Just a Shadow". It almost feels like it could be an A Perfect Circle song. She also proves she can belt it out likea rock singer when called for.
All the elements of "Breathe" keep it flowing, even before the drums come in. It rides the line between dark folk and indie rock. It is one of the album's darker songs. It is another where the guitar opens it up at the midway point. Even on the second-to-last song, this formual does not get old. 'The Gentle Harm" leans more on her vocals. She laments as much as she sings here, though, using enough breath in her voice to work. Guitars begin to emerge as the song crept to the midway point again, as a sorrowful piano line drifts in. Almsot right at the three-minute mark, it does as expected. I will give this album a 9.5, as it is a well produced and polished return for her that is emotionally powerful and beautifully sung.
Essex trio In a House of Heartbeats plays a dark style of post-rock that bridges over into goth and post-rock with shoegazing tendencies. The first dirge they open with finds the guitar filling the gaps where the vocals would be if they existed. They use many familiar sounds that border on psychedelic, but help to create the kind of dark tapestry that feels like clove cigarettes might be smoked to it if there was a low baritone croon that characterizes this sort of thing. I like the first song, but unsure if these sounds alone are enough to keep my attention.
On "Cambion" they continue to remind me of Russian Circles as they bring a heavier stomp, thanks in part to the hammering tone of their bass player. The problem with what they are doing is that the songs might begin to sound the same, but let's see what happens. "Parasomniac" finds samples helping to create a narrative as they experiment with more atmospheric elements. It is more like an interlude; they continue to flirt with darker sounds, taking them in a more sweeping post-rock direction when they kick back into the next proper song.
The tempo picks up for the jangle of "Head Full of Ghosts."There is a more rock-minded riff for the chorus. Midway through the song, it drops out into space. Some of the moods it winds around remind me of the kind of prog dynamics Tool would later employ. It is an 11-minute song, so perhaps that is what stirs this comparison. "Drift into Sleep" is an ambient interlude that I am not going to count for the purpose of this review. The last song drifts off in its atmosphere and follows a more typical post-rock formula. I will give this album an 8.5; it works well for what they are doing and I appreciate the darker direction they are taking this genre. Out on Ripcord Records.
Shoe-gaze continues it's comeback, as it continues to branch out into dream pop and post-rock so both of those are included in this list, it just makes for an easier title rather than the Top 10, Shoe gaze, dream pop, drugged out indie rock, and hipster post-rock albums of 2025, which is a lot. These are not the coolest, but the best, fuck what other blogs say,. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of 2025.The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Shoe gaze albums of 2025.
10-Soft Sun- "Eternal Sunshine"
Gary Arce from Yawning Man started this band a couple of years ago, while he uses similar tones as he does in Yawning Man here, there is a more melodic shoegaze vibe, which is more song-focused. Thanks to the vocals of bassist Pia Isaksen, there is a fragile atmospheric drift that weaves sleepy melodies in the spaces left by the floating guitar parts.
The heavy shoegazers are back, and this time around, there are more emotional layers to the hovering croon of bassist Isa Holliday's dream-laden delivery. This album sounds great as it balances out the dynamics you want from this kind of 90s-inspired affair. They give her voice plenty of room to haunt the songs, as the drums and bass keep a driving backbone of fuzzed-out heft coming at you. This is the Belgian band's third trip into the studio, and they have mastered this, even throwing in things like a saxophone to create another layer of sound.
They open the album with a renewed commitment to sonic heaviness. It captures the genre's two greatest dynamics . The album experiments with the formula and employs effective dynamics while typically caring about the songs. A more balanced less obtuse album from this band.
11 albums into their career, this Scottish band has a clear focus on their sonic journey. Vocals appear right from the first song, though they are more of a smooth texture that sits into the swirl of sound. I think there is some growth in terms of songwriting and how vocals are used here. After your first ten album you have to do something different to keep things fresh, which is what they are doing here.
Extreme pop is not a thing? That is what this band of spaced-out hipsters seems to think. The album goes from easy listening with cinematic dream pop thrown in, the way the strings soar out of control like amped up Phil Spector to more experimental forms of shoegaze. The drummer helps it all click. everything to click. To their credit, I appreciate their commitment to dynamics and going all out on the big choruses., with some screaming buried in the background.
This Portland-based band plays a stormy version of goth-infused rock that carries some heft that sometimes feels like a cross between Switchblade Symphony and Swans. The hypnotic throb of the tribal drumming and taunt guitars provides the web over which Kelly Correl's voice crawls. There is plenty of dynamic ebb and flow, with witchy vibes swirling around the cauldron of brooding.
Listening to this album through headphones is recommended. This album is an event. \ it is not their best work, but it remembers to employ similar moods that bring them closer to the more classic sounds of the Jarboe era. They step in a somewhat darker direction while placing emphasis on a spiritually resonating drone.
3-Shedfromthebody_"Everything Out There Has Teeth"
A second album from this Finnish project is a surprise for the darkness of fall to spread over. Her voice continues to glide overly beautifully bleak passages, which is not far removed from where we left off with "Whisper and Wane".There is more grunge influence and a 90s feel overall at times on this one, it is neck and neck with the more doom feeling January release.
They have gone in a more Stone Roses direction for this one. In doing so, this means more melody. The vocals got more love in the studio and are crooned with less apathy. On the other hand, this album jangles more and has less punk rock left in its veins. The atmosphere is thicker and often more melancholic. They are in many ways the same band, but attacking things from a different direction. This means bringing a little more rock balls to the songs at times ,as the vocals carry a more surreal plea to their croon. The guitars have several interesting layers, and the overall production on this album is fantastic.
1-Ethel Cain- "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You"
Not only the best shoe-gaze / post-rock album of the year , but perhaps the best album of the year. I don't think she set out to make a shoe-gaze album, which is what makes it so effective, the ethereal atmosphere just organically came about thanks to the hypnotic drones that also incorporate pop and country music into the mix. Unlike Wednesday who takes jarring turn between the two genres, on this album you can't tell where one ends and the other begin as they are woven with such sonic beauty. As stated these albums are ranked according to how much I actually listened to them, and I listened to this album more than any other this year.
I talk more about this album on our Top 5 Shoe-gaze album episode here...
Often, the sub-genre of Desert Rock implies something less metallic and more akin to Queens of the Stone Age. Yawning Man tempers the doom melancholy with trippy atmosphere, but their new album opens with a darker shadow being cast over the California highways. Seeing how the song is called "Burito Power," I am not sure what was in the Burito that took such a turn, so the guitar melodies would cry out so woefully. They continue to drift off into melancholy with "Gestapo Pop," which carries a great reverb-drenched guitar tone. Without vocals, the guitar melodies carry the songs in a more post-rock manner that is not far removed from what Mogwai used to do. This also leads to things being carried into a narcotic drone that flows in an abstract jam.
This affects the listening experience of the album and shifts the focus more to sound over songs by the time we get to "Bomba Negra." It rides a more atmospheric wave, as the guitar coasts over the bass line in a more Sabbath like fashion. The dreamy mood works well and adds a more dynamic feel to the album overall. Where it makes you want to float away, "Dust Suppression" is rooted in more conventional space jamming. Though it uses just as atmospheric of a guitar tone. They capture cool sound, but they do not flow with much direction. The title track uses a reverb that finds its echo ache with more emotion than was displayed on the previous song.
The last song seems like it is the end bridge for the title track that precedes it, and the extended single note guitar solo seems to be the centerpiece of the song that takes all the melodic themes from the previous song, it works better live than it does on the album, unless you are really stoned, which is the target audience here. I will give this album a 9 for this reason, the moods and sounds captured here are immaculate, but the songwriting tends to work off a uniform formula to some extent.Out on Heavy Pysch Sounds Records.
I learned about this artist from Chelsea Wolfe, so I decided to check out her new album. It's a very emotionally fragile take on indie folk. The opening track is very compelling and inspires me to stick around for more. Not as dark as Chelsea Wolfe, but you can hear where their sonic common ground is. There is a very natural feeling of atmosphere that the second song uses in a more expansive post-rock manner. Thematically, this is a prequel to her album "The Preacher's Daughter".
"Fuck Me Eyes" is the second single that was released. It makes sense as it flows really well, and the melody is poppier than the first song. I would not call it dark, but introspective, and to be a concept album of sorts, there is an honesty to the narrative that is tangible. The electronic elements gather up to take the song away. Lyrically, is paints a wonderful picture. "Nettles" is the first single from the album, but it's just a wandering modern folk song and not as catchy as "Fuck Me Eyes," which is a better song, but it works for what it does, but what it does is not mind-blowing. Almost feels like a Phoebe Bridgers B-side.
The sprawling seven and a half minute interludes are an interesting touch. They are long enough to count as songs, but for the purpose of this review, I am not going to, as it's clear to hear what her actual songs are. "Dust Bowl" does have a touch of the experimental ambiance to it, as she creates an ambient backdrop for the otherwise breathy introspection that ponders her early glimpses into sexuality. There is a lethargy to the way this song flows that creates a rainy-day melancholy. I love the effects on her voice and how the dynamic builds in this song. The post-rock creeping into things is a wonderful touch.
"A Knock at the Door" has a hushed urgency to the pastoral manner it floats out. Though the vocals could carry more of the weight, rather than the sparse arrangement captured here. The album does lean heavily into the ambiance so much that some of the storytelling gets obscured by it. The instrumental interlude "Radio Towers" runs right into "Tempest," which finds her more ethereal vocals hovering into place. It rides a beautiful hypnotic drone that almost feels like it's from the '90s. I had to give the closing song "Waco, Texas" another listen, as it carries a similar ambiance that sprawls out with minimal percussion carrying the wave of fragile vocal speculation. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. Excellent songwriting when she commits to it, but it is more about the mood, which works here as a powerful mood conveyed.
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In case you forgot this was coming out, Robert Smith is not the control freak he once was, as he is allowing 24 artists to remix the band's 2024 masterpiece. I am going to review this by breaking it down by song, and then just going over the different versions of each song.
"I Can Never Say Goodbye"
Paul Oakenfold's cinematic version is a fair description of what he does here, as the piano melody and Smith's vocal remain the heartbeat of this dramatic symphonic take.
Mental Overdrive is the moniker used by a long-running Norwegian techno DJ. The euro-techno beat keeps the song moving in a manner that is much more dancey than what Oakenfold did. Like most old-school techno, it takes on a bit of a drone.
Craven Faults, as expected from this British producer, there is a more ambient Krautrock feel to this take on the song. The melody is submerged in a wave of sound. The drone of this one is more lethargic than the previous take on the song. You gotta hand it to Smith, he makes sure almost every adjacent sub-genre of what the band does is represented here, this is a very slow burn at nine minutes. The vocals were eliminated, and instead we get subtle layers of synths and piano flushed against a deep pulse. You might need some weed for this one.
"Endsong"
I mean, is it really a remix album without Orbital on it? The song is given the kind of treatment you might expect from the Sevenoaks duo. After some build-up up it settles into a more electronic groove to give Smith's vocals the room they need. The guitar melody is given a trippier sound. The Cure is, to some extent, drug music, but this requires a higher dose.
Gregor Thresher, the German EDM DJ uses Smith's vocal as his guidepost, and strips things down so he can apply his own dance beat to the song, which is a much different approach than the previous version.
Another jarring contrast is where post-rockers Mogwai take the track. They take it to a darker, more obtuse place. They prefer the sound of their own guitars, and the original guitar melodies are memories that haunt the song, but it still feels like what the Cure would do. Robert Smith has called these guys his favorite band before, so this is not surprising. Another time to break out the bong. I am surprised they included Smith's vocals since vocals are not an element they normally put great weight in.
"Drone Nodrone"
Daniel Avery's remix finds the Bournemouth-based DJ not getting as sonic as expected and laying a more laid-back but still dance-minded beat under it. It allows the vocals to work with the same grooving cadence as the original while owing little to the original arrangement. It's still dark enough for goth fans. He does bring in the bass line as well, midway into the song.
German DJ Anja Schneider breaks from the post-punk DNA of the song to do her own thing, in more of a deconstruction. The vocal is the only thing that anchors it to the original version. The chorus is a great deal faster. It feels like this could have come from the late 90s.
JoyCut brings a more post-industrial dynamic to their version. While it is next to what Mogwait does as the second most experimental take so far, it feels true to the overall feel of what the Cure does. Less bassline-supported backbone and more atmosphere.
"All I Ever Am"
Norway's Meera takes the song in a dance-oriented direction that resembles the original so little that if it were not on this album, you would not have a clue there was anything to do with the Cure.
Pop producer Mura Masa gives Smith's vocals the room they need and turns them into something that could find a place on European radio. It almost feels like the Killers.
Post-rockers 65daysofstatic play it pretty safe and just give things a bigger dynamic sound.
"A Fragile Thing"
German duo Ame leaves Smith's vocals the centerpiece as they deconstruct the song down to a dance groove.
Iris-born DJ Sally C treats it more like it is a 90s Madonna song. But what plays in its favor is how she keeps the guitar in some of the layers to remind you they are a rock band.
You know tour mates the Twilight Sad are going to get it right when it comes to capturing what makes the song work, but still getting sonic with it.
"Nothing is Forever"
Danny Briotett and Rico Conning's remix feels like what DJs were doing in the late 90s in gay bars.
Collen Murphy also allows for the guitars to have the space they need, while the vocals are given a trippier treatment.
Trentmoller has a greater understanding of dark music, as the Danish musician reworks the mood into something that flirts with vvitch house and industrial, while staying true to the song. One of the best reworkings on this album, as it touches on so many aspects.
"Warsong"
Daybreakers' re-mix keeps things to a dance floor throb that does not capture the feel of the song as well as some of the other interpretations, but works off energy alone well enough
Tech-house DJ Omid 16b chills out a little more than the previous version and does not keep the tension boiling. The vocals are relegated to more of a color.
Deftones vocalist Chino kept his mouth shut when it came to approaching the song and just mixed Smith's vocals in a similar manner that he would approach his own.
"Alone"
Four Tet brings what you expect from their work to this song.
Chilean DJ Shanti Celeste brings some of her homeland vibes to the grooves of this one.
Ex- Easter Island does well enough wtih the song, not taking many chances
Overall I will give this one a 9.5, shows how much reach the Cure's influence has on music as a whole.
Listening to this album through headphones is recommended. This album is an event. It opens with a 21-minute song. You guys know how I feel about songs like this, and even Michael Gira could stand to trim the fat at times. "The Healers" sounds like what the band at a Pentecostal church might do when waiting on a word of the lord during the prophecy and prayer part of their tent revival. Given the title, I would not put it past Gira that this is the point. When the groove kicks in, they create a powerful dynamic that harkens back to the '90s golden years of the band.
Gira's vocals drop lower, but despite the resonance in them, it's more speaking in tongues combined with throat singing than the croon that was the powerful narrative of their best work. The thing you can count on these guys for is a hypnotic drone, and that is the mood it creates. It gets jammy about 11 minutes in, but the narcotic groove is pretty enthralling. 16 minutes in and everything is thrown into chaos and noise for a spastic burst. I rarely need a paragraph to talk about a single song, much less two of them, but here we are.
The shimmering ambient buzz that ends the first song bleeds over into "I am the Tower", which finds Gira back in his spoken word mania that marked the band's 2010 reformation material. Melody slowly unfolds from this that recalls the later part of their 90 output. The beautiful sonic material they lock into makes it worthwhile. This makes them who they are is the ability to make the drone pay off. They are one of the few bands that can deliver it like this. At 71, I am not really asking Gira to do more than he did after Bowie died at 67, so there is not a great reference point for how singing into your 70s should sound, taking Mick Jagger out of the equation. This is not the same rock n roll; in fact, it's supposed to be everything the Stones are not.
The title track is even longer than the first song, only by a minute, but a 22-minute song is still an ample investment of time. The first two minutes are intro ambiance that boils into darker rock dissonance. At the four-minute mark, they ring into the lush sonic purpose of their 90s sound, just without Jarboe, whose absence might be an understandable sticking point for some. But it's hard to argue against the expansive ache of the guitar melodies that unfold here, with Gira's spiritual vocal intonation acting like a Buddhist chant. Midway into the song, it breaks into a fragile lullaby. Further proof that post-rock would not exist without these guys. This flows into the band's more strummed folk side, but doused in the kind of ambiance they are known for.
The whispered cadence of Gira's vocals creates a creepy cultic chant that sounds like a surreal 60s horror movie soundtrack opens "Red Yellow" at under seven minutes long it's hypnotic groove that is more sustainable, and it crosses the line from sonic splendor into actual songwriting. The drums have almost a Led Zeppelin-like throb to them. This feels like the best song these guys have done in a few albums to me. "Guardian Spirits' mixes the experimental layers of sound from "the Seer" with their darker 90s feel. The vocals owe a little more to his "Seer" days as well. There is also a little bit of the industrial clanging from the earlier days, though not nearly as angry. The drumming gets intense as the song builds.
"The Merge" throws harsh noise at you that leads into a pretty cool noir bass line. Is it going to be another 12 minutes of cool? Well, we shall see. Brass and guitar creep in to join it. Jazz is incorporated more into this song than anything I can recall hearing from these guys. This I bookended by noise before things grow darker. They ride off this swelling wave of ambiance. In the last three minutes, it drops down to the lo-fi folk that is a staple of Gira's writing process. The last song builds from the post-rock like minimalism, riding the ringing tension of the guitars. At 19 minutes, it's the album's fourth-longest song. Approaching the three-minute mark guitars begins to make more ambient sounds. This continues to build for six minutes until it begins to sound like a song coming to life. They ride this for five minutes before ebbing down. They they building it back up again. It follows these peaks and valleys for the song's duration, with vocals more as a textural accent. In the last 3 minutes, he returned to the folk feel again. I will give this album a 9.5, as it is not their best work, but it remembers to employ similar moods that bring them closer to the more classic sounds of the Jarboe era.
The first song finds the band balancing out the varied elements of their discography, right down to the deliberate chug the song transitions into. Having made their way onto the rock festival circuit, you had to wonder how much playing with big mainstream bands would influence them. Truth be told, when I saw them at Rockville, there was little compromise on their part to win anybody over. 6 albums into their career, I think it is safe to say if they were going to sell out, they would have by now. "Magnolia" is one of the songs I heard before the album's release, and it fits well within the context of the bigger picture here. The more deliberate head-banging riffs are cool.
"the Garden Route" follows more closely to the "Sunbather" formula, where they take a more sheogazing track, and George snarls over it. There is a great range of guitar tones on this album, and the production is not too different from what we have heard in the past, though the vocals feel like they are sitting further back in the mix at times. "Heathen' finds George's singing voice continuing to improve. It's a more breezy indie rock song that skirts along the dusk, before exploding into the black metal dynamic. "Amethyst" unfolds more like a shimmering post-rock lullaby. At over eight minutes, it's the album's longest song, giving them time to lull you into a trance before the screaming starts two minutes into things. The guitars are well layered to add intensity without having to dig into the bag of metal chugs. They are sonically dense in a very graceful manner here.
They hurtle in a more traditional take on black metal with "Revelator". There is still a distinct sonic edge. The main riff is pretty hooky. The last two minutes take an unexpected turn, which the resistance to formulas might be one of this album's most endearing strengths, alongside the dynamics they delve into. The most interesting song might be "Body Behavior," which grooves with a post-punk tension, and his vocals are snarled but in a more punk fashion. Their experimentation with sounds really pays off on this one. It does build up into more of a blasting storm than you might expect from them. Of the three "Incidental" interludes the second one with Jae Matthews from Boy Harsher is the most like a song, and the best of the three, which might surprise some of you since Paul Banks of Interpol is on the third one, but it's more of a spoken word over ambience.
This sets you up for "Winona," that is another song which finds their more experimental nature in the studio paying off again. This entire album sounds great, but some moments are more stunning than others. When this song kicks in it sounds fucking hug, and if you are not already a believer of Daniel Tracy his drumming on this song will make you one. They take you back closer to a more "Sunbather' sound midway into things here. The last song serves as a fitting summary of what they are about on this album, with the sung vocals being used in a less formulaic manner than how most bands employ them these days.I will give this album a 10 might be their most diverse and adventurous album yet.
The violin is the most important instrument on this album. It helps keep this band from sounding like a Swans tribute band. The soft baritone chant of the vocals draws perhaps too much inspiration from Micheal Gira. I do like how this band allows the opening track to simmer. The slow build pays off and their execution of post-rock is impressive. This is their second full-length album. Without going back and listening to it, I do not remember what their 2023 album sounds like. I gave it a 9, but this must have been due to the execution of the sounds that created it as I never listened to it again after the day I reviewed it. The second song feels like it is a jammed-out progression being drawn out from the opening track. I think what I liked the most was the familiarity of the dark sounds, after all, they collaborated with Jarboe being recording their debut album.
"Elysium" works best off the more choral passages of vocals, though even on the verses a more Nick Cave-like approach is taken. I really like this song so it is obvious they can write a damn fine song when they are not wandering around sniffing their own atmosphere. "Hymn" starts off with more of a hypnotic creep to its droning groove, but when it reaches a climax the ringing guitar tones feel like they were sampled from "Love of Life". 'Revenge" works off a similar slow burn as the bulk of the songs have thus far, the vocals in a more spoken whisper with the hesitant strum of the guitar. I like the lyrics but I would like to hear more of who this guy is, even Micheal Gira himself uses different vocal colors, and we are just getting the one style Cameron Moretti has nailed.
They go into "The Drum" with an even more minimalist approach. They build off this into some with more sonic heft, before ebbing back down to the whispered vocals we have already heard in ample supply on this album. The violin needs to be a more dominant presence as it adds a bit of the Appalachian Hills to "The Window" which is what this band needs, anything that helps set themselves apart from Swans. This sounds like something Charles Manson might dig if he was tripping on acid. I like the piano melody on the last song, but the song does not really go anywhere we have not already heard them visit on this album. I will give this album an 8 as I feel the have more potential here they already have proven themselves capable of these sound and this would have been the album to prove they are not a Swans tribute band.Drops on Profound Lore.
This is a homage to George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", as it serves as an alternate score. They have already done a similar thing with the 1920 German silent film classic" The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari ". They playing a droning post-rock drench style of doom. I appreciate the mood here, which is not surprising given my love of horror, so much so that most of the artists I listen to would not be out of place on a horror soundtrack in the first place. The second track 'Refuge Resist" is more atmospheric, but feels more like a song, as the moan of female vocals haunts from deep within the mix.
"Flames Afar" is a cool-sounding piece, but it sounds more like Pink Floyd than what I would want on the score of "Night of the Living Dead" as I can not imagine anywhere that it would fit in the movie. "It Was a Good Plan" lumbers with a doomy weight as the guitar crunches down with more intention, though the mood of the song is not that dark so it feels more like fuzzed-out psych rock as it drones on. "Emergency Broadcast" is more like an interlude. "The Basement Is the Safest Place" is also more post-rock, it's not the first time this reminded me of Godspeed You Black Emperor ! 's score for "21 Days Later" . This song rocks out a little more and has a distant female vocal in the background. This is one of the album's strongest moments.
"Another One For the Fire" feels more like something Explosionsinthesky might do. It has a very ambiance and does not stress the tension found in the film, as there are no real ambient moments in the movie. I'll give this one an 8.5, I like the sounds they create and see how they are applied as score, which does give them less pressure to write songs in the typical rock format and lean into the atmosphere. I think for the project at hand it's not dark enough but as a band, they are doing good things.
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This project from Finland marks another entry to the hallowed halls of ethereal hot girl music. It's almost like ASMR set to brooding post-rock. The test for this album, once you put its breathy sex appeal aside, is the question we here at this blog find ourselves pondering frequently Is this a sound or a song? If you make the argument all sounds are songs, then place rocks in your pockets and take a cold plunge. Songs tell a story, meaning there is a dynamic arc that needs to occur. This is her fourth album, so she knows how to head in this direction for "Mooring' which proves you do not have to have a groove as long as you cause the throbbing of said sounds. It is not the album to put on when you are drinking coffee and getting ready to start your day, but more of it's getting dark, smoking some pot music. The precision begins to build and create a distant heaviness that is emotive, but I would not call it metal. In terms of heaviness, she falls between Emma Ruth Rundle without Thou and Zola Jesus.
"Nail" does find a swathe of guitar setting the stage as the drums remain more distant. Things build into more of a crunch here, but it pulses in a manner that allows the vocals to rightfully take center stage. Screams echo out from behind here but are far from the focal part. "Sungzar" has a more minimalist pitter-patter of percussion as the ost-rock guitar unfolds. They are assembled in a manner that makes the most of what these elements are doing as the vocal color the background with cooing texture. There is a more metallic guitar that rises up from this. What plays to her favor is she is in a similar zip code as other female artists doing this sort of thing without mimicking any of them. "Milk" focuses more on the shifting atmosphere as it drifts along.
"Velveteen" has a languid slither as it unfurls. Her voice curls around the song and massages it well. "The Choke" does crash into a more rock dynamic, in this way it feels more like Emma Ruth Rundle, though I like hearing her dip into her alto register more here. I don't think it's fair to refer to this as doom-gaze, as post-rock feels like it's a more honest assessment of what is being done here, things are more hopeful than not on this album, where a doom-gaze band would have a heavy melancholy creating its heaviness. The last song is more minimalist in its swirling drone. Her vocal layering helps create a hypnotic effect. I'll give this a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. If you like ethereal hot girl music, this is for you.
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Lifelover's remains turned to Hypothermia and Kall. This comes from the guitarist who formed Hypothermia. This was where the songs that were too experimental for that project as they continued to evolve as musicians. This is the first full-length of the project following three EPS. The mood is similar to what they have done before, even if they are not using black metal to get there. After an ambient intro piece, it gets into "Stonerpop" which is the first proper song working off a woozy ambiance. The vocals are spoken and grow increasingly agitated as the song progresses. This song is followed by another atmospheric interlude.
"Spar" is the next actual song. Though it lingers in an experimental morass of sound. It's a kind of fog-enveloped post-rock when it manages to come together. They kept the depressive part of depressive black metal and dug so deeply that it almost accomplishes the same thing. "Tjara" is the first song that crosses over into metal, and it's more of a post-doom. Though tormented cries are uttered from it to stay on brand for these guys. Harrowing intensity is certainly a phrase you could use to describe this with. "Tid' is more of a swath of post-rock sound with samples over it. Due to the experimental nature of Lifelover for a long time, I assumed they were from France when they were from Sweden.
"Andetag" is more tortured mumbling, crying out from the dense ambiance. This continues to be the formula, though a more metallic backbone begins to form in the song that follows it. Though it shimmers in more of a post-rock fashion. "Slutna ogon" has more of an industrial clang to it, though it's much heavier on the atmosphere rather than finding these guys trying to be Ministry. 'Se Mig" shimmers with an even more opaque ambiance. "Var vantan..." has more melody to the guitars. Most of the songs have a more minimalist approach than what you expect from a project that evolved out of a black metal band. The strum does become fuller once they slowly build the dynamics. The vocals go into more of the pained weeping Lifelover made famous.
If you were to ask me if this is more of a post-rock album or a black metal album, I would have to say it has more in common with early Mogwai, than early Darkthrone, and the last song only further proves this point. I will give this album a 9, and see how it grows on me. They are great at what they do, but what they do also comes with the expectations they respectfully toy with this regard. I was going to wait to publish this in Black Metal History Month since it does not drop until March 8th , but since this is not black metal, I'll go ahead and put it out there.
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11 albums into their career, this Scottish band has a clear focus on their sonic journey. Vocals appear right from the first song, though they are more of a smooth texture that sits into the swirl of sound. Things get more into their older brand of majestic melancholy on the second song. It's less pop-oriented than the opening track. If you came here wanting post-rock, this is the song for you. "What Kind of a Mix is This" feels like it just spills out from the end of the lingering ebb of the previous song. It takes a minute for a guitar melody to establish the song's footing. These guys are one of the few largely instrumental bands that I like, with "Rock Action" and 'Come On Die Young' as my favorites from them. I originally checked them out after reading an interview with Robert Smith, where he named them as his favorite band.
The lead single "Fanzine Made of Flesh" is more upbeat and on more of an indie rock vibe than I expected from them. But it's effective songwriting and works for me. There are some hilarious song titles like "Pale Vegan Hip Pain". The one carries a more depressing lethargy that fits the song title. It drones a bit as the chords slowly modulate. This floats into "If You Find This World Bad, You Should See Some of the Others," which feels like the climax of "Pale Vegan Hip Pain", but this is not uncommon when it comes to instrumental albums. Though oddly, this has more vocals than any other Mogwai album I can recall hearing. "18 Volcanoes" almost feels more like an Elliot Smith song when it comes to how the vocals are handled. As the song builds, they do drift to the back of the mix.
"Hammer Room" is more upbeat, with synths working overtime to create something torn between retro and futuristic. "Lion Rumpus" has more rock n roll to its drumming. The synths continue to color the songwriting. It feels like this is what marks the biggest change in their songwriting sounds with synth melodies driving the songs, where it was once more guitar dominant. They split the difference on this song. The last song drifts off into space, which is a fitting conclusion. They do use some interesting sounds in the excursion. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. I think there is some growth in terms of songwriting and how vocals are used here.
This album came out back in May, so I am glad I found it clicking around Bandcamp. I really liked this band's 2019 album. This time around things are darker and more organic with less of the atmosphere which previously reminded me of the Gathering. Thanks to Jackie Gantz bringing her cello to the party there are sweeping post-rock dynamics expanding the sonic zip-code way past the normal Sabbath pandering of the genre. They push this pretty far out of the scope of metal on "New Sadder You" but soaring vocal melodies make this stick and carry a great deal of emotional weight. This brings us to an album that is emotionally heavy more than it is heavy metal. The song takes a wide swathe of dynamic shifts.
"Faux Savior" sounds like it could be about politics. Much like politics the song is depressing. The vocals are chanted in a choral manner. "Otto's Song" almost sounds like something Pink Floyd would have done. There is more of a post-rock shimmer than what Gilmour was doing, but I think Pink Floyd created post-rock before post-rock was a thing so there is that. "How Rude" is the first song that commits to going into a more metallic place, with snarled vocals and the intent to chug. Things stay weird on "Heed Me" which drones for bulk of the song, so it's not one of the album's most dynamic moments;
They glide into the dusk on the last two songs which work well but have a similar intensity to Portishead, which is not a bad thing, it just might not be the direction you were expecting. The vocals are left to carry things, and they are equipped to do so, as the gentle weaves itself around the misty waters this floats over. The guitar tones are great. In some ways it also makes me think of the Cowboy Junkies. The end of the last song does find itself building toward a more dramatic mood that this album often reaches for. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's one of the darker more gripping moods I have heard from a post-rock leaning album this year.
I enjoy post-rock, but I have to be in a particular mood for it. Having a headache and not being able to listen to anything more aggressive is such an occasion. This might be an even more melodic direction for the Irish band as the song focuses on central melodic themes, and sails off. Graceful is one word that comes to mind. There is a more exotic touch to the chord voicing and it often sounds like sitar is being used. This takes things on a magical mystery tour with its more psychedelic leanings. Sometimes they are subtle as the second songs gradually build up to them at the end, while songs like "Odyessy" find them carrying the main melody as a dynamic shift from the more rock-oriented riffing.
"Heart of Roots" is a moodier exploration with piano taking center stage. The rock guitar colors the background and lets things progress with a more jazz-like layering. "Embers" finds both drone and groove working off one another. Great drumming and excellent guitar tones certainly help this song's case for greatness. It borders more towards prog. Even though it's over four minutes long "Realms" feels like it's the atmospheric intro to "Oscillation" which is a proper song with melody and direction rather than just a sculpt of sound.
"Prism" works off a pretty simple melody they drone off of, but does not go anywhere dynamically. Sure it sounds cool, but instrumental bands have to work harder to compensate for the lack of vocals, or they just kind of fade into the background. "Hourglass" proves they can not only compensate but hypnotize you with layers of lush dynamics, making it one of the album's strongest songs. I will give this album a 9, they have improved as a songwriter, and this will give fans what they want and more than they expected.
This Irish band's 7th album is a lively jam that embraces more math rock than it indulges in the kind of atmosphere that we could consider post-rock. That does not mean this album is devoid of ambiance or dynamics, there are plenty of both just expressed differently. The first two songs carry the momentum you might expect from a live show and the band does not head into the more experimental direction until "Gallery of Honor" which brings in so many different sounds that it gets hard to balance them out in the context of the song.
They go about experimentation more gracefully in the first part of "Mother Belfast". It flows smoothly and allows for their abilities as musicians to be showcased in a manner that allows you to hear how underrated these guys are. I was not expecting some of the harder sections, where they are willing to go into oa more aggressive almost metallic style of playing. Only one song goes over the six-minute mark, yet they use their time wisely and cram a great deal into the allotted time without allowing the jam to sprawl. This creates a sense of urgency. The guitar solos on the second part of "Mother Belfast" give things a little more of a rock n roll feel. The fact that this album is instrumental and manages to hold my attention like it does is impressive.
"Years Ago' has some great bass playing on it, but is less focused than the previous songs, the more abstract nature it floats in creates this. "Any Joy" floats with more ambiance, it flirts with classical music, and even in its listless melodies, it is enjoyable. Even with the distinct syncopated jangle "Button Days' it feels like it is running with other songs. There is strong drumming, but it does not make it more interesting. The last song is less adventurous than you would expect they stay in the middle road of the wheelhouse they are comfortable in. I will give this album a 9, it's more about playing the instruments and creating the energy and mood than the songs but still impressive.
This French does not need an introduction here as given their blending of black metal and shoe-gaze we have covered every album no matter where they were in their musical journey. Some have felt more inspired than others. There always seems to be a balance they need to keep in order not to drift too far in becoming the Yes of Black Metal. They have come to an effective balance of rock drive and fairy wonderment on the opening track of this album. The seventh album by the band finds them continuing to shed the black metal label, Neige himself admitted that the very word black in black metal means you have to be dark, which would disqualify this band giving the hope soaring that embodies the sounds captured here even when his vocals become more forceful.
There is a deliberate drive that is heard on the third song offering the kind of drive that keeps your attention where the ethereal nature of what they do might otherwise find this drifting off as a sound that hovers over your head rather than engaging you. He continues to engage his harsher snarls, that are grounded to the overall mood of the songs. His sung vocals typically sit further back in the mix where the growl comes forward. Another strength of the arrangements is that they do not allow the songs to become lost in the ambiance, but things remain in motion.
"Flamme Junelle" jangles with more of a 90s alternative feel, which works for me. It has more in common with Smashing Pumpkins than Deafheaven. "Reminiscence" is an ambient piano piece that is like an intermission in the middle of the album. "L'Enfant de la Lune" plays to the band's strength, as the drummer lays a solid foundation to keep things moving and not shimmering off due to the incorporeal nature of the riffs. The last song checks off the shimmering away box, as it is more of an extended outro ballad, than a song you can sink your teeth into. I will give this album a 9.5, as it does indulge in the two lengthy interludes, making the album really only five actual songs, but they are excellent songs, so if you are a fan of this band then you know not to arrive with expectations of headbanging, and can enjoy this space the band occupies. The most chill album Nuclea Blast has released.
Was a big fan of the Swedish band's 2022 album "Myriad". The band continues to perfect their brand of post-rock-influenced grooves. The album opens with even hookier vocals this time around. The drumming is highly dynamic, guiding the ebb and flow of the song, to create a backdrop for the sing-song vocals to reach out from. They lean into a more shoe-gazing take on indie rock for the second song. The build is more gradual and droning. I can appreciate the meandering jam even if it does not work off the momentum established by the first song.
They ramble on with a more casual strum into dreamy waters for "Swans in a Field ". There is something effective in the layering of guitars that creates more sonic breadth. There is more movement to "Secret Youth" The brooding bassline makes it a little darker than the previous songs. I would not say they are heavy but capable of diving into more intense soaring. This creates a more cinematic peak. "Rite of Passage" starts off more introspective with a wandering post-rock feel. The vocals belt it out a little more to steer the dynamic build of the song which is pretty effective.
"Deluge" sounds like it could have been from Opeth's "Damnation album, which works for me. The sense of seething shadows possesses it. "Leave Us Behind' feels like they finally commit to journeying into prog rock. It has been an undercurrent this album has hinted at but this song and the previous one are more deliberate steps into it. The last song wanders out into a more introspective place even with the bass line's burly tone trying to anchor it. It touches on the wanderlust of shoe-gaze with a thick shimmer. This album sounds great and finds the band experimenting more with songwriting. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me if you like prog rock or shoegaze they have something for you here. Drops June 28th on Pelagic Records.
The doomy murk of this duo's fourth album is tangible. I have not spent more time with their albums. The answer that makes the most sense is, that there are only so many hours in the day, so I can only get to some things. Over the years I have become more efficient and able to cover more stuff, but some things slip through the cracks, like this project's first three albums. I like how atmospheric they are. The eerie dissonance that is created makes things heavier sonically than heavier in the metallic sense.
"Youth Body Swayed" has a marginally more post-rock feel though the vocals are more purposeful creating an effect not unlike the place where Chelsea Wolfe operates, without trying to mimic her or blatantly flaunt that influence. Granted artists like Swans certainly were doing it before Wolfe. Siouxsie's more introspective moments would also be a fair comparison. Though not sure I would call this goth. However, I do like it and I am an old-school goth despite not dying my beard for some time, so there might be something to that.
In terms of dynamics from a songwriting perspective, the formula latches onto something and then drones it out, introducing melodies as we go. While I reference post-rock earlier and a similar comparison to that genre might apply to "Cleaver Hearted" where it parts from post-rock there are no big cinematic climaxes. They do take their time and linger over the ambiance. When constructing instrumental pieces the heaviness lurks under the more ethereal nature of what they do. Effective enough. "the Hands" finds them returning to a more conventional structure. This gives her s the room to make the most of her moody musings. I am still determining how this will translate live, but enjoying the album so far. The last two songs are a bath of reverb and shimmering ambiance, which sounds cool but not much in terms of songwriting, it's as if I did some acid and wanted to improvise. I will give this album an 8.5, as the focused songs are wonderful, and overall all there are stunning sounds, I just prefer stunning songs. They excel at the sound they do make and maybe that is more your thing, I appreciate what is being done here either way.
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