This is a mea culpa. Back in 2021, pretty much everyone I know whose opinion I trust about post-rock and post-metal told me to listen to Mountainscape's Acceptance. I did try but, for some reason, couldn't make it click. I think I just wasn't in the right headspace at the time and I wasn't as diligent as I usually am with giving the album another try. Lo and behold, a few weeks ago the band announced another album, Atoms Unfurling, would be releasing this year and all those folks (and especially Nick) told me to try again. Being the sensible man that I am, I did and...it clicked. I found myself listening to Acceptance again and again, lost in equal measure in the album's excellently massive post-rock compositions and its heavier, groovier, post-metal breakdowns.
When Mountainscape reached out to premiere a new track from Atoms Unfurling, I knew an opportunity had arisen to make good my past mistakes and I leapt at it. And so, I find myself here, telling you to listen to "Awakening", the first track from the upcoming album. And boy, is it a good one! It has everything that I've grown to love about Mountainscape; it begins with a somber build up lasting almost two minutes but then immediately explodes into the kind of heavy, dynamic, and moving post-metal riff that Mountainscape are so good at. In fact, to my ears at least, it might be their heaviest passage yet, oozing fury and a deep, resonant sort of impact that is a joy to hear.
It all culminates into the track's outro, where blast-beats and mournful guitar leads remind me of Mono's forays into the heavier side of post-rock. In short, it is a damn joy and you'd be missing out, like I did for so long, if you didn't check it out.
Atoms Unfurling releases October 21st and you can head on over to the band's Bandcamp page to pre-order it.