ALBUM REVIEW: GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR - LUCIFERIAN TOWERS

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR
"LUCIFERIAN TOWERS"
Constellation Records
Post Rock, Drone, Noise Rock.
Listening Format: Vinyl



Godspeed You! Black Emperor feel like they should need no introduction, but I actually forget that when I stumbled upon this band more than ten years ago, I'd never heard them mentioned by anyone. No other artists or journalists were name checking this Canadian collective and they didn't have any radio airplay. It wasn't until the Danny Boyle film 28 Days Later came out that I first heard the name, but I didn't stumble across what a legacy this band hold until falling deep down the internet forum rabbit hole. Of course nowadays, they feel like a band that need no introduction at all. Pretty much anyone who listens to alternative music or reads Pitchfork will claim to love this band. They even got name checked by Seth Rogan in the film Pineapple Express. But if you STILL haven't heard of them by now, Godspeed You! Black Emperor hold a LOT of acclaim. I frequently hear them get labelled as "The best Post Rock band EVER!", "The best band of the last 20 years!" or even "THE BEST BAND EVER!!!" And who am I to argue!? Their 4 main releases in their original incarnation between 1995-2002, I consider to be some of the most mind-blowing, groundbreaking, forward thinking, bone-chilling, awe inspiring, [INSERT GRAND HYPERBOLE HERE] EVER!!! One of THE bands whose music will sing ruthlessly in my veins 'til the day I die. They went on a large hiatus after 2002's 'Yanqui UXO' album, but came back really strong. Not everyone has favoured their "reunion" albums quite as much, but I have thoroughly enjoyed them. So here we have their third "reunion" album, Godspeed You! Black Emperor Plays "Luciferian Towers"!

Well... Once again I am floored! Following in the wake of 2014's 'Asunder, Sweet, And Other Distress!' Godspeed are making some of their most concise albums, running just over 40 minutes and single LP length. Yet I feel like they are still managing to bring an apocalyptic tour-de-force with their grand instrumental Rock. Opening with the 7 minute 'Undoing a Luciferian Towers', this track plays like an overture. An ominous drone escalates in loudness and intensity as the ensemble of guitars, drums, violins and atmospherics gradually sink their teeth in one by one. It plays like an orchestra warming up their instruments at the start of the concert. Though the track concludes on an almighty cacophony... An eerie, joyous racket... GY!BE veterans might be tempted to call this "light" or perhaps even "tame" compared to the band that devastated our ears on 'Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven's 20 minute behemoths. Fortunately, once the band have warmed up they soon deliver something much more atypical of their style. In fact 'Bosses Hang' is without a doubt one of my all time favourite GY!BE compositions. Over 14 minutes and 3 distinct movements, the ensemble chill my bones to the core with thundering drawn out guitar chords, pounding timpani drums and sweeping violins. Because GY!BE implement so many Noise, Drone and Ambient sections into their compositions, I feel like their ear for supremely catchy melodies can often be understated. But 'Bosses Hang' delivers this absolutely beautiful and glorious leading melody that often weaves in and out of the 3 movements. The first act is pretty storming, building up rather hastily (by their standards), before winding down in the second movement to an almost Celtic influenced string section that sounds eerily similar to the mid section of The Who's 'Baba O'Riley'. Typically when the third movement of 'Bosses Hang' kicks up, it cuts you like a storm in heaven, reprising the epic main melody with guitars that are screaming towards the skies. Godspeed You! Black Emperor are well known for their ear shattering climaxes (often following long teasing build ups) and here we find one of their most effective uses of this trademark. Even though it may adhere to Post Rock standards, I feel like GY!BE have more than earned the right to be doing it still in 2017, I mean they really ARE the band that have always done it better than anyone else!

The third track 'Fam/Famine' is more on the restrained side like the opener, but still glorious. GY!BE manage to work in their more introspective and mellowed out moments arguably more effectively than the previous two album's Drone interlude tracks. This track once again hangs on an understated melody, washed with tremolo strings, and noisy production, retaining such a distinct earthy and natural sound. "Luciferian Towers" ends on another 14 minute composition, 'Anthem For No State', building slowly with gloomy guitar arpeggios and mournful strings, almost having this Morricone old west kind of feel. The way this track unfolds is much more gradual, reminiscent of old school GY!BE in a way. Once again it is the third and final movement that impresses most, launching into straight up Noise Rock territory, with these loud feedback driven guitars just hanging in the air as Sophie Trudeau's violin shrieks violently and the punishing drums shatter the ground beneath. This track certainly has the most "soundtracky" feel on this album, tying nicely with the album artwork that mimics a film script.

Admittedly Godspeed You! Black Emperor's post reunion albums aren't QUITE as good as their original incarnation's legacy, but I will say with an honest heart that all of the major Post Rock bands such as Mogwai, Explosions In the Sky, Sigur Ros and Mono had a 10 year gap where they could have caught up and tried to outdo their genre foes, but none of them stepped up to the plate (don't get me wrong, I actually like those bands). A new Godspeed album doesn't come along often enough, but they are still the absolute kings of Post Rock... When Godspeed release a new album, they manage to dwarf EVERY ONE OF THEIR PEERS into complete insignificance. That is how good this band are. "Luciferian Towers" is another stunning effort, and it stands out from some of their other albums by proving just how utterly fucking good they are at writing killer melodies. Not since the opening refrains of 2000's "Storm" have I found myself humming a Godspeed song on my walk home from work. Instead of going for something, dark, apocalyptic and menacing, "Luciferian Towers" plays like a victory march after an epic, bloody battle. It's one of their most joyous, majestic and dare I say it, feel good albums in their entire discography. Utterly essential listening. It is a new Godspeed album and YOU MUST HEAR IT!!! 8/10.