From Beneath Billows – Monolith (2013)

Delivering six crushing blows of brilliant Post-Metal, today we have Norway’s From Beneath Billows and their latest offering: “Monolith”. With a very well defined sound and excellent composition skills, this album is one hell of a ride for any fan of the genre. Think of Neurosis, The Ocean, Thränenkind, and When Icarus Falls and you will get the perfect picture of what to expect from this very promising Norwegian band.

Opening with the moody “One Death and the Kings”, this track greatly rewards patience with a very suspenseful progression. Once the guitars get more aggressive and the screams make their appearance, the listener is already fully immersed in the band’s expansive sound. Throwing in some melancholic clean vocals into the mix, From Beneath Billows really captures the vibe of Post-Metal in their own signature sound, as you can immediately find out on “Verity”.

The almost Doom-esque “Darkens the Will” has a very mellow and bleak atmosphere, making it a brilliant song and one of the best in the album. Filled with commanding riffs and excellent atmospheric elements, tracks like “Frontier” greatly enhance the listener’s experience and helps the band paint desolate landscapes with their music. The monumental “Enlivened and Sworn” is a 16-minute piece that nicely builds up the momentum for some crushing distorted riffs and raw and aggressive vocals. The band does an excellent job in crafting slowly progressing tracks that will grab your attention immediately.

Closing with our favorite, “Monolith”, the band leaves on a very high note with another brilliant onslaught of percussions and powerful riffs. It is quite crafty how they make their songs flow and change tempos seamlessly and never breaking the overall tension of things. If you like Post-Metal and are having  a hard time deciding what to buy, look no further and pick up a copy of this excellent release. Hailing from Norway, From Beneath Billows is a band that you need to keep an eye out for since they have excellent songwriting skills and a very crisp sound.

Label: Self-Released

Release: November 8th, 2013

Genre: Post-Metal

Country: Norway