Believe it or not, this is the fifth time I've premiered a track from Grant the Sun and I am not about to stop. The first time I wrote about these guys was nine (!!!) years ago when they dropped their debut album. People have been sleeping on them since. They have such a unique blend of post-rock, stoner, progressive metal, and even heavier sounds verging on the realms of death metal. They've been refining this unique mix and sound for the past nine years, somehow becoming more and more intricate and atmospheric at the same time. The result is something that I haven't quite heard any other band doing and so, I leap at the opportunity to premiere new music from then whenever I can.
This time around we have "Cinder", the closing track from the band's upcoming album, Biomes. The entire album is great and "Cinder" does a really good job of exemplifying how. I love its opening, Meshuggah-esque riff/vocals combo but also its dreamier guitar leads later on down the line, the weird half-solo right at the end of the track, and its overall Grant the Sun vibes. Head on over to just before the three minute mark to hear these sounds coalesce into the track's crescendo, one of my favorite moments on the album. It has that combo of expansive atmosphere with tight, groove-based technicality that should be at odds but is brought into harmony with Grant the Sun's unique ear for composition.
Biomes will be released on the excellent Mas-Kina Recordings on October 16th. Keep an eye on the band's Bandcamp closer to release for pre-orders.