#russiancircles — Public Fediverse posts

Metal is filled with reluctant vocalists. Whether it’s Dave Mustaine ultimately deciding to front Megadeth, or Mikael Åkerfeldt hesitantly filling the void in Opeth, or Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds eventually co-voicing Mastodon,1 vocals often exist in the genre as an afterthought. But what happens when there’s no after to the afterthought? You get something like Only Echoes, an instrumental post-metal quartet from Denver, CO. In their promo materials, Only Echoes explain that they formed expecting vocals to play a part in their music, but ‘when the time came to decide who would sing, no one raised a hand.’ This lack of vocals, however, became a staple of the band’s identity, fueling their self-titled EP (2018) and debut LP Sunsickness (2022), both of which were independently released. Arriving via Braeburn Records, sophomore album Born Adrift promises ‘an internal narrative without relying on lyrics to explain it.’ Said promo materials do, however, sketch the narrative: the album charts ‘a journey through survival, uncertainty, and the strange momentum that keeps a person moving through hostile waters.’

Without a vocalist, Only Echoes rely on the versatile arsenals of their instrumentalists to convey Born Adrift’s arc. The band references several acts one would expect as influences on an (instrumental) post-metal album: Russian Circles, Pelican, Isis.2 On the guitar front, Austin Minney and Dustin Yourishin combine for a menagerie of flickering melodies, glimmering clean chords, and chunky chugs. Drummer Zach Sirotkin lays down a bevy of blast beats, d-beats, and double-bass thunder. Meanwhile, bassist Ben Rosenberg periodically pokes through the mix with some upper-fret flourishes. As some elements of this description of Only Echoes hint at, Born Adrift doesn’t quite channel the spirit of the bands cited above. Yes, there are some well-earned quiet-to-heavy, heavy-to-quiet transitions across the album. But by and large, Only Echoes play far less patiently than these groups, swiftly shuffling between blissed-out breathers, punk-rock paces, and core-ish chuggery. Despite their mostly 6–8 minute lengths, the songs tend to sound like bursts of metal grab bag.

Because all but one song on Born Adrift briskly bounces between styles, any sense of album-spanning narrative is hard to detect. My criticism of the grab-bag songwriting notwithstanding, “Born Adrift” and “Tempest” do open the record with excitement, showcasing a band capable of moving melodies and infectious tempos. “So Tightly Bound” seems like it will be compositionally different; it develops an enchanting vibe across three minutes. But then the song quickly jumps into a d-beat-driven punk part, capped off with some obligatory chugging. It’s as if there’s a missing middle between the beginning and the punky outburst. After the aptly titled interlude (“Inter”), the album closes by showing some signs of patient development (“Steps Ahead of Drowning”). But then Only Echoes revert back to their familiar mode, jarringly contrasting serene buildups with breakneck speed (“Shimmering Death”). At 35 minutes, Born Adrift isn’t exactly a chore to get through, but it often feels longer than it is. I almost get the sense that Only Echoes tried to cram an album’s worth of material into nearly every song.

Unfortunately, sonic missteps also become a barrier to enjoying Only Echoes’s sophomore outing. On the production end of things, Born Adrift does seem cognizant of intentional mixing: the drums and bass grow more present in sections where the guitars are textural and ambient. The guitars, however, unpleasantly dominate the mix when Minney and Yourishin turn towards chugging rhythms. The bass, when it sticks to lower registers, gets lost and feels inessential. The big issue, however, concerns the low bitrate of Born Adrift’s audio files (128 kbps). At lower volumes, the album sounds compressed and mushy; at higher volumes, it’s clippy and grating. As a metal album in want of blasting, this latter fact is quite unfortunate.

Born Adrift ultimately disappoints, but not for its lack of vocals per se. As instrumentalists, Only Echoes clearly possess chops, and they show a knack for crafting and connecting affecting passages (“Born Adrift,” “Tempest”). Too often, however, these passages are disrupted by abrupt stylistic changes that come off as contrived. Additionally, the sonic flaws sadly hamper an album that does, at times, sound massive and powerful. In my view, Only Echoes don’t necessarily need someone to step up and command the microphone. They might, however, exercise the kind of restrained patience that, for me at least, tends to make for notable instrumental metal/rock.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3
Label: Braeburn Records
Websites: Official | Instagram | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026

Metal is filled with reluctant vocalists. Whether it’s Dave Mustaine ultimately deciding to front Megadeth, or Mikael Åkerfeldt hesitantly filling the void in Opeth, or Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds eventually co-voicing Mastodon,1 vocals often exist in the genre as an afterthought. But what happens when there’s no after to the afterthought? You get something like Only Echoes, an instrumental post-metal quartet from Denver, CO. In their promo materials, Only Echoes explain that they formed expecting vocals to play a part in their music, but ‘when the time came to decide who would sing, no one raised a hand.’ This lack of vocals, however, became a staple of the band’s identity, fueling their self-titled EP (2018) and debut LP Sunsickness (2022), both of which were independently released. Arriving via Braeburn Records, sophomore album Born Adrift promises ‘an internal narrative without relying on lyrics to explain it.’ Said promo materials do, however, sketch the narrative: the album charts ‘a journey through survival, uncertainty, and the strange momentum that keeps a person moving through hostile waters.’

Without a vocalist, Only Echoes rely on the versatile arsenals of their instrumentalists to convey Born Adrift’s arc. The band references several acts one would expect as influences on an (instrumental) post-metal album: Russian Circles, Pelican, Isis.2 On the guitar front, Austin Minney and Dustin Yourishin combine for a menagerie of flickering melodies, glimmering clean chords, and chunky chugs. Drummer Zach Sirotkin lays down a bevy of blast beats, d-beats, and double-bass thunder. Meanwhile, bassist Ben Rosenberg periodically pokes through the mix with some upper-fret flourishes. As some elements of this description of Only Echoes hint at, Born Adrift doesn’t quite channel the spirit of the bands cited above. Yes, there are some well-earned quiet-to-heavy, heavy-to-quiet transitions across the album. But by and large, Only Echoes play far less patiently than these groups, swiftly shuffling between blissed-out breathers, punk-rock paces, and core-ish chuggery. Despite their mostly 6–8 minute lengths, the songs tend to sound like bursts of metal grab bag.

Because all but one song on Born Adrift briskly bounces between styles, any sense of album-spanning narrative is hard to detect. My criticism of the grab-bag songwriting notwithstanding, “Born Adrift” and “Tempest” do open the record with excitement, showcasing a band capable of moving melodies and infectious tempos. “So Tightly Bound” seems like it will be compositionally different; it develops an enchanting vibe across three minutes. But then the song quickly jumps into a d-beat-driven punk part, capped off with some obligatory chugging. It’s as if there’s a missing middle between the beginning and the punky outburst. After the aptly titled interlude (“Inter”), the album closes by showing some signs of patient development (“Steps Ahead of Drowning”). But then Only Echoes revert back to their familiar mode, jarringly contrasting serene buildups with breakneck speed (“Shimmering Death”). At 35 minutes, Born Adrift isn’t exactly a chore to get through, but it often feels longer than it is. I almost get the sense that Only Echoes tried to cram an album’s worth of material into nearly every song.

Unfortunately, sonic missteps also become a barrier to enjoying Only Echoes’s sophomore outing. On the production end of things, Born Adrift does seem cognizant of intentional mixing: the drums and bass grow more present in sections where the guitars are textural and ambient. The guitars, however, unpleasantly dominate the mix when Minney and Yourishin turn towards chugging rhythms. The bass, when it sticks to lower registers, gets lost and feels inessential. The big issue, however, concerns the low bitrate of Born Adrift’s audio files (128 kbps). At lower volumes, the album sounds compressed and mushy; at higher volumes, it’s clippy and grating. As a metal album in want of blasting, this latter fact is quite unfortunate.

Born Adrift ultimately disappoints, but not for its lack of vocals per se. As instrumentalists, Only Echoes clearly possess chops, and they show a knack for crafting and connecting affecting passages (“Born Adrift,” “Tempest”). Too often, however, these passages are disrupted by abrupt stylistic changes that come off as contrived. Additionally, the sonic flaws sadly hamper an album that does, at times, sound massive and powerful. In my view, Only Echoes don’t necessarily need someone to step up and command the microphone. They might, however, exercise the kind of restrained patience that, for me at least, tends to make for notable instrumental metal/rock.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3
Label: Braeburn Records
Websites: Official | Instagram | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026

Show 2 footnotes

1. Yes, Brann Dailor also sings for Mastodon, but not at the outset. ↩
2. The band also cite Deafheaven and God Is an Astronaut as influences. ↩

Metal is filled with reluctant vocalists. Whether it’s Dave Mustaine ultimately deciding to front Megadeth, or Mikael Åkerfeldt hesitantly filling the void in Opeth, or Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds eventually co-voicing Mastodon,1 vocals often exist in the genre as an afterthought. But what happens when there’s no after to the afterthought? You get something like Only Echoes, an instrumental post-metal quartet from Denver, CO. In their promo materials, Only Echoes explain that they formed expecting vocals to play a part in their music, but ‘when the time came to decide who would sing, no one raised a hand.’ This lack of vocals, however, became a staple of the band’s identity, fueling their self-titled EP (2018) and debut LP Sunsickness (2022), both of which were independently released. Arriving via Braeburn Records, sophomore album Born Adrift promises ‘an internal narrative without relying on lyrics to explain it.’ Said promo materials do, however, sketch the narrative: the album charts ‘a journey through survival, uncertainty, and the strange momentum that keeps a person moving through hostile waters.’

Without a vocalist, Only Echoes rely on the versatile arsenals of their instrumentalists to convey Born Adrift’s arc. The band references several acts one would expect as influences on an (instrumental) post-metal album: Russian Circles, Pelican, Isis.2 On the guitar front, Austin Minney and Dustin Yourishin combine for a menagerie of flickering melodies, glimmering clean chords, and chunky chugs. Drummer Zach Sirotkin lays down a bevy of blast beats, d-beats, and double-bass thunder. Meanwhile, bassist Ben Rosenberg periodically pokes through the mix with some upper-fret flourishes. As some elements of this description of Only Echoes hint at, Born Adrift doesn’t quite channel the spirit of the bands cited above. Yes, there are some well-earned quiet-to-heavy, heavy-to-quiet transitions across the album. But by and large, Only Echoes play far less patiently than these groups, swiftly shuffling between blissed-out breathers, punk-rock paces, and core-ish chuggery. Despite their mostly 6–8 minute lengths, the songs tend to sound like bursts of metal grab bag.

Because all but one song on Born Adrift briskly bounces between styles, any sense of album-spanning narrative is hard to detect. My criticism of the grab-bag songwriting notwithstanding, “Born Adrift” and “Tempest” do open the record with excitement, showcasing a band capable of moving melodies and infectious tempos. “So Tightly Bound” seems like it will be compositionally different; it develops an enchanting vibe across three minutes. But then the song quickly jumps into a d-beat-driven punk part, capped off with some obligatory chugging. It’s as if there’s a missing middle between the beginning and the punky outburst. After the aptly titled interlude (“Inter”), the album closes by showing some signs of patient development (“Steps Ahead of Drowning”). But then Only Echoes revert back to their familiar mode, jarringly contrasting serene buildups with breakneck speed (“Shimmering Death”). At 35 minutes, Born Adrift isn’t exactly a chore to get through, but it often feels longer than it is. I almost get the sense that Only Echoes tried to cram an album’s worth of material into nearly every song.

Unfortunately, sonic missteps also become a barrier to enjoying Only Echoes’s sophomore outing. On the production end of things, Born Adrift does seem cognizant of intentional mixing: the drums and bass grow more present in sections where the guitars are textural and ambient. The guitars, however, unpleasantly dominate the mix when Minney and Yourishin turn towards chugging rhythms. The bass, when it sticks to lower registers, gets lost and feels inessential. The big issue, however, concerns the low bitrate of Born Adrift’s audio files (128 kbps). At lower volumes, the album sounds compressed and mushy; at higher volumes, it’s clippy and grating. As a metal album in want of blasting, this latter fact is quite unfortunate.

Born Adrift ultimately disappoints, but not for its lack of vocals per se. As instrumentalists, Only Echoes clearly possess chops, and they show a knack for crafting and connecting affecting passages (“Born Adrift,” “Tempest”). Too often, however, these passages are disrupted by abrupt stylistic changes that come off as contrived. Additionally, the sonic flaws sadly hamper an album that does, at times, sound massive and powerful. In my view, Only Echoes don’t necessarily need someone to step up and command the microphone. They might, however, exercise the kind of restrained patience that, for me at least, tends to make for notable instrumental metal/rock.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3
Label: Braeburn Records
Websites: Official | Instagram | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026

Metal is filled with reluctant vocalists. Whether it’s Dave Mustaine ultimately deciding to front Megadeth, or Mikael Åkerfeldt hesitantly filling the void in Opeth, or Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds eventually co-voicing Mastodon,1 vocals often exist in the genre as an afterthought. But what happens when there’s no after to the afterthought? You get something like Only Echoes, an instrumental post-metal quartet from Denver, CO. In their promo materials, Only Echoes explain that they formed expecting vocals to play a part in their music, but ‘when the time came to decide who would sing, no one raised a hand.’ This lack of vocals, however, became a staple of the band’s identity, fueling their self-titled EP (2018) and debut LP Sunsickness (2022), both of which were independently released. Arriving via Braeburn Records, sophomore album Born Adrift promises ‘an internal narrative without relying on lyrics to explain it.’ Said promo materials do, however, sketch the narrative: the album charts ‘a journey through survival, uncertainty, and the strange momentum that keeps a person moving through hostile waters.’

Without a vocalist, Only Echoes rely on the versatile arsenals of their instrumentalists to convey Born Adrift’s arc. The band references several acts one would expect as influences on an (instrumental) post-metal album: Russian Circles, Pelican, Isis.2 On the guitar front, Austin Minney and Dustin Yourishin combine for a menagerie of flickering melodies, glimmering clean chords, and chunky chugs. Drummer Zach Sirotkin lays down a bevy of blast beats, d-beats, and double-bass thunder. Meanwhile, bassist Ben Rosenberg periodically pokes through the mix with some upper-fret flourishes. As some elements of this description of Only Echoes hint at, Born Adrift doesn’t quite channel the spirit of the bands cited above. Yes, there are some well-earned quiet-to-heavy, heavy-to-quiet transitions across the album. But by and large, Only Echoes play far less patiently than these groups, swiftly shuffling between blissed-out breathers, punk-rock paces, and core-ish chuggery. Despite their mostly 6–8 minute lengths, the songs tend to sound like bursts of metal grab bag.

Because all but one song on Born Adrift briskly bounces between styles, any sense of album-spanning narrative is hard to detect. My criticism of the grab-bag songwriting notwithstanding, “Born Adrift” and “Tempest” do open the record with excitement, showcasing a band capable of moving melodies and infectious tempos. “So Tightly Bound” seems like it will be compositionally different; it develops an enchanting vibe across three minutes. But then the song quickly jumps into a d-beat-driven punk part, capped off with some obligatory chugging. It’s as if there’s a missing middle between the beginning and the punky outburst. After the aptly titled interlude (“Inter”), the album closes by showing some signs of patient development (“Steps Ahead of Drowning”). But then Only Echoes revert back to their familiar mode, jarringly contrasting serene buildups with breakneck speed (“Shimmering Death”). At 35 minutes, Born Adrift isn’t exactly a chore to get through, but it often feels longer than it is. I almost get the sense that Only Echoes tried to cram an album’s worth of material into nearly every song.

Unfortunately, sonic missteps also become a barrier to enjoying Only Echoes’s sophomore outing. On the production end of things, Born Adrift does seem cognizant of intentional mixing: the drums and bass grow more present in sections where the guitars are textural and ambient. The guitars, however, unpleasantly dominate the mix when Minney and Yourishin turn towards chugging rhythms. The bass, when it sticks to lower registers, gets lost and feels inessential. The big issue, however, concerns the low bitrate of Born Adrift’s audio files (128 kbps). At lower volumes, the album sounds compressed and mushy; at higher volumes, it’s clippy and grating. As a metal album in want of blasting, this latter fact is quite unfortunate.

Born Adrift ultimately disappoints, but not for its lack of vocals per se. As instrumentalists, Only Echoes clearly possess chops, and they show a knack for crafting and connecting affecting passages (“Born Adrift,” “Tempest”). Too often, however, these passages are disrupted by abrupt stylistic changes that come off as contrived. Additionally, the sonic flaws sadly hamper an album that does, at times, sound massive and powerful. In my view, Only Echoes don’t necessarily need someone to step up and command the microphone. They might, however, exercise the kind of restrained patience that, for me at least, tends to make for notable instrumental metal/rock.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3
Label: Braeburn Records
Websites: Official | Instagram | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026

Metal is filled with reluctant vocalists. Whether it’s Dave Mustaine ultimately deciding to front Megadeth, or Mikael Åkerfeldt hesitantly filling the void in Opeth, or Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds eventually co-voicing Mastodon,1 vocals often exist in the genre as an afterthought. But what happens when there’s no after to the afterthought? You get something like Only Echoes, an instrumental post-metal quartet from Denver, CO. In their promo materials, Only Echoes explain that they formed expecting vocals to play a part in their music, but ‘when the time came to decide who would sing, no one raised a hand.’ This lack of vocals, however, became a staple of the band’s identity, fueling their self-titled EP (2018) and debut LP Sunsickness (2022), both of which were independently released. Arriving via Braeburn Records, sophomore album Born Adrift promises ‘an internal narrative without relying on lyrics to explain it.’ Said promo materials do, however, sketch the narrative: the album charts ‘a journey through survival, uncertainty, and the strange momentum that keeps a person moving through hostile waters.’

Without a vocalist, Only Echoes rely on the versatile arsenals of their instrumentalists to convey Born Adrift’s arc. The band references several acts one would expect as influences on an (instrumental) post-metal album: Russian Circles, Pelican, Isis.2 On the guitar front, Austin Minney and Dustin Yourishin combine for a menagerie of flickering melodies, glimmering clean chords, and chunky chugs. Drummer Zach Sirotkin lays down a bevy of blast beats, d-beats, and double-bass thunder. Meanwhile, bassist Ben Rosenberg periodically pokes through the mix with some upper-fret flourishes. As some elements of this description of Only Echoes hint at, Born Adrift doesn’t quite channel the spirit of the bands cited above. Yes, there are some well-earned quiet-to-heavy, heavy-to-quiet transitions across the album. But by and large, Only Echoes play far less patiently than these groups, swiftly shuffling between blissed-out breathers, punk-rock paces, and core-ish chuggery. Despite their mostly 6–8 minute lengths, the songs tend to sound like bursts of metal grab bag.

Because all but one song on Born Adrift briskly bounces between styles, any sense of album-spanning narrative is hard to detect. My criticism of the grab-bag songwriting notwithstanding, “Born Adrift” and “Tempest” do open the record with excitement, showcasing a band capable of moving melodies and infectious tempos. “So Tightly Bound” seems like it will be compositionally different; it develops an enchanting vibe across three minutes. But then the song quickly jumps into a d-beat-driven punk part, capped off with some obligatory chugging. It’s as if there’s a missing middle between the beginning and the punky outburst. After the aptly titled interlude (“Inter”), the album closes by showing some signs of patient development (“Steps Ahead of Drowning”). But then Only Echoes revert back to their familiar mode, jarringly contrasting serene buildups with breakneck speed (“Shimmering Death”). At 35 minutes, Born Adrift isn’t exactly a chore to get through, but it often feels longer than it is. I almost get the sense that Only Echoes tried to cram an album’s worth of material into nearly every song.

Unfortunately, sonic missteps also become a barrier to enjoying Only Echoes’s sophomore outing. On the production end of things, Born Adrift does seem cognizant of intentional mixing: the drums and bass grow more present in sections where the guitars are textural and ambient. The guitars, however, unpleasantly dominate the mix when Minney and Yourishin turn towards chugging rhythms. The bass, when it sticks to lower registers, gets lost and feels inessential. The big issue, however, concerns the low bitrate of Born Adrift’s audio files (128 kbps). At lower volumes, the album sounds compressed and mushy; at higher volumes, it’s clippy and grating. As a metal album in want of blasting, this latter fact is quite unfortunate.

Born Adrift ultimately disappoints, but not for its lack of vocals per se. As instrumentalists, Only Echoes clearly possess chops, and they show a knack for crafting and connecting affecting passages (“Born Adrift,” “Tempest”). Too often, however, these passages are disrupted by abrupt stylistic changes that come off as contrived. Additionally, the sonic flaws sadly hamper an album that does, at times, sound massive and powerful. In my view, Only Echoes don’t necessarily need someone to step up and command the microphone. They might, however, exercise the kind of restrained patience that, for me at least, tends to make for notable instrumental metal/rock.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3
Label: Braeburn Records
Websites: Official | Instagram | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2026

Russian Circles (post metal / US) clippe 'Eluvial', deuxième extrait du prochain album 'Nine' à sortir le 28 août chez Sargent House : https://youtu.be/mlqjZnVxew8?si=Y7zmkoKb1L8VvXiz
#russiancircles #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles (post metal / US) clippe 'Eluvial', deuxième extrait du prochain album 'Nine' à sortir le 28 août chez Sargent House : https://youtu.be/mlqjZnVxew8?si=Y7zmkoKb1L8VvXiz
#russiancircles #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles (post metal / US) clippe 'Eluvial', deuxième extrait du prochain album 'Nine' à sortir le 28 août chez Sargent House : https://youtu.be/mlqjZnVxew8?si=Y7zmkoKb1L8VvXiz
#russiancircles #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles (post metal / US) clippe 'Eluvial', deuxième extrait du prochain album 'Nine' à sortir le 28 août chez Sargent House : https://youtu.be/mlqjZnVxew8?si=Y7zmkoKb1L8VvXiz
#russiancircles #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles - Gnosis - 2022
#Music #AlbumSuggestions #NowPlaying #NowListening
#RussianCircles #Gnosis

Russian Circles - Gnosis - 2022
#Music #AlbumSuggestions #NowPlaying #NowListening
#RussianCircles #Gnosis

Russian Circles - Gnosis - 2022
#Music #AlbumSuggestions #NowPlaying #NowListening
#RussianCircles #Gnosis

If These Trees Could Talk strikes me as a mildly ironic name for an instrumental group. But, then again, post-rock has the potential to be one of the most expressive musical genres when done correctly. This grove in Akron, Ohio, has been mostly silent for the last ten years since 2016’s The Bones of a Dying World, aside from a lone single in 2024. This probably explains why, despite their popularity, I was unfamiliar with If These Trees Could Talk until now, as I only developed a fondness for post-rock a few years ago. The Hidden Hand marks their second full-length with Metal Blade Records and fourth overall. How fruitful has the last decade been?

By and large, The Hidden Hand will not shock anyone with an affinity for post-rock of the instrumental persuasion. It is primarily constructed using crystalline notes and reverb-drenched chords, fluctuating between light and dark in a manner akin to pg.lost. Like We Lost the Sea, If These Trees Could Talk summon vivid soundscapes that encompass a wide variety of emotions and moods. Though this isn’t a huge sonic departure from their prior work, there are a few minor twists. The Hidden Hand sporadically borrows smidgens of bulky guitar tone from Russian Circles and Pelican, and there is even an unexpected cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” at the tail end of the album.

If These Trees Could Talk endeavors to wring the most from handfuls of simple tunes. This approach works well in some instances. The most notable of these is “Blurry Creatures,” featuring a recurring choral chant around which the multi-guitar lines coil like ivy on a trellis. “Moon Machine” is less successful as it stretches two alternating passages across 8 minutes, feeling fatiguing and formulaic. I enjoy The Hidden Hand more when the focus is on spinning poignant melodies (“Sea of Glass,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pts. 1 and 2”), but this does not happen as much as on former records. Instead, a heavier reliance on reverb at times feels antithetical to the desired atmosphere (“Moon Machine,” “Metanoia,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2”). Furthermore, the final track “Endlessly Connected” begins with soft, interwoven guitar strands that never get the chance to grow into something substantial.

The Hidden Hand is not composed in a way that appears to have considered the whole. Compared with the fluidity of prior albums, it’s more of a motley collection of tracks. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but less overall synergy means less staying power in this case. “Metanoia” and “Flim” stick out in particular. The former leans into perky prog rock, and the latter, while a faithful cover, would have fit better in a setting such as Stardew Valley. Additionally, the percussion seems to have lost much of the free-flowing flair that helped foster the unity of The Bones of a Dying World. In The Hidden Hand, it mainly consists of standard rock beats dressed with syncopation, resulting in a more generic feeling across the board.

Ultimately, The Hidden Hand is not as convincing a comeback as I would have hoped. For whatever reason, some of the magic has disappeared in the last ten years. Given that this was my first experience with If These Trees Could Talk, I can say with certainty that this is not because of pent-up or unrealistic expectations. Their prior magnificence can still be heard in the likes of “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2” and “Blurry Creatures,” but, even so, The Hidden Hand likely won’t change anyone’s mind about whether they like instrumental-only music. While for me, The Hidden Hand isn’t worth the opportunity cost when craving post-rock, I’m grateful to have been introduced to The Bones of a Dying World, and I look forward to spending more time with that one.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: ifthesetreescouldtalk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/treescouldtalk
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

If These Trees Could Talk strikes me as a mildly ironic name for an instrumental group. But, then again, post-rock has the potential to be one of the most expressive musical genres when done correctly. This grove in Akron, Ohio, has been mostly silent for the last ten years since 2016’s The Bones of a Dying World, aside from a lone single in 2024. This probably explains why, despite their popularity, I was unfamiliar with If These Trees Could Talk until now, as I only developed a fondness for post-rock a few years ago. The Hidden Hand marks their second full-length with Metal Blade Records and fourth overall. How fruitful has the last decade been?

By and large, The Hidden Hand will not shock anyone with an affinity for post-rock of the instrumental persuasion. It is primarily constructed using crystalline notes and reverb-drenched chords, fluctuating between light and dark in a manner akin to pg.lost. Like We Lost the Sea, If These Trees Could Talk summon vivid soundscapes that encompass a wide variety of emotions and moods. Though this isn’t a huge sonic departure from their prior work, there are a few minor twists. The Hidden Hand sporadically borrows smidgens of bulky guitar tone from Russian Circles and Pelican, and there is even an unexpected cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” at the tail end of the album.

If These Trees Could Talk endeavors to wring the most from handfuls of simple tunes. This approach works well in some instances. The most notable of these is “Blurry Creatures,” featuring a recurring choral chant around which the multi-guitar lines coil like ivy on a trellis. “Moon Machine” is less successful as it stretches two alternating passages across 8 minutes, feeling fatiguing and formulaic. I enjoy The Hidden Hand more when the focus is on spinning poignant melodies (“Sea of Glass,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pts. 1 and 2”), but this does not happen as much as on former records. Instead, a heavier reliance on reverb at times feels antithetical to the desired atmosphere (“Moon Machine,” “Metanoia,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2”). Furthermore, the final track “Endlessly Connected” begins with soft, interwoven guitar strands that never get the chance to grow into something substantial.

The Hidden Hand is not composed in a way that appears to have considered the whole. Compared with the fluidity of prior albums, it’s more of a motley collection of tracks. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but less overall synergy means less staying power in this case. “Metanoia” and “Flim” stick out in particular. The former leans into perky prog rock, and the latter, while a faithful cover, would have fit better in a setting such as Stardew Valley. Additionally, the percussion seems to have lost much of the free-flowing flair that helped foster the unity of The Bones of a Dying World. In The Hidden Hand, it mainly consists of standard rock beats dressed with syncopation, resulting in a more generic feeling across the board.

Ultimately, The Hidden Hand is not as convincing a comeback as I would have hoped. For whatever reason, some of the magic has disappeared in the last ten years. Given that this was my first experience with If These Trees Could Talk, I can say with certainty that this is not because of pent-up or unrealistic expectations. Their prior magnificence can still be heard in the likes of “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2” and “Blurry Creatures,” but, even so, The Hidden Hand likely won’t change anyone’s mind about whether they like instrumental-only music. While for me, The Hidden Hand isn’t worth the opportunity cost when craving post-rock, I’m grateful to have been introduced to The Bones of a Dying World, and I look forward to spending more time with that one.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: ifthesetreescouldtalk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/treescouldtalk
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

If These Trees Could Talk strikes me as a mildly ironic name for an instrumental group. But, then again, post-rock has the potential to be one of the most expressive musical genres when done correctly. This grove in Akron, Ohio, has been mostly silent for the last ten years since 2016’s The Bones of a Dying World, aside from a lone single in 2024. This probably explains why, despite their popularity, I was unfamiliar with If These Trees Could Talk until now, as I only developed a fondness for post-rock a few years ago. The Hidden Hand marks their second full-length with Metal Blade Records and fourth overall. How fruitful has the last decade been?

By and large, The Hidden Hand will not shock anyone with an affinity for post-rock of the instrumental persuasion. It is primarily constructed using crystalline notes and reverb-drenched chords, fluctuating between light and dark in a manner akin to pg.lost. Like We Lost the Sea, If These Trees Could Talk summon vivid soundscapes that encompass a wide variety of emotions and moods. Though this isn’t a huge sonic departure from their prior work, there are a few minor twists. The Hidden Hand sporadically borrows smidgens of bulky guitar tone from Russian Circles and Pelican, and there is even an unexpected cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” at the tail end of the album.

If These Trees Could Talk endeavors to wring the most from handfuls of simple tunes. This approach works well in some instances. The most notable of these is “Blurry Creatures,” featuring a recurring choral chant around which the multi-guitar lines coil like ivy on a trellis. “Moon Machine” is less successful as it stretches two alternating passages across 8 minutes, feeling fatiguing and formulaic. I enjoy The Hidden Hand more when the focus is on spinning poignant melodies (“Sea of Glass,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pts. 1 and 2”), but this does not happen as much as on former records. Instead, a heavier reliance on reverb at times feels antithetical to the desired atmosphere (“Moon Machine,” “Metanoia,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2”). Furthermore, the final track “Endlessly Connected” begins with soft, interwoven guitar strands that never get the chance to grow into something substantial.

The Hidden Hand is not composed in a way that appears to have considered the whole. Compared with the fluidity of prior albums, it’s more of a motley collection of tracks. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but less overall synergy means less staying power in this case. “Metanoia” and “Flim” stick out in particular. The former leans into perky prog rock, and the latter, while a faithful cover, would have fit better in a setting such as Stardew Valley. Additionally, the percussion seems to have lost much of the free-flowing flair that helped foster the unity of The Bones of a Dying World. In The Hidden Hand, it mainly consists of standard rock beats dressed with syncopation, resulting in a more generic feeling across the board.

Ultimately, The Hidden Hand is not as convincing a comeback as I would have hoped. For whatever reason, some of the magic has disappeared in the last ten years. Given that this was my first experience with If These Trees Could Talk, I can say with certainty that this is not because of pent-up or unrealistic expectations. Their prior magnificence can still be heard in the likes of “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2” and “Blurry Creatures,” but, even so, The Hidden Hand likely won’t change anyone’s mind about whether they like instrumental-only music. While for me, The Hidden Hand isn’t worth the opportunity cost when craving post-rock, I’m grateful to have been introduced to The Bones of a Dying World, and I look forward to spending more time with that one.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: ifthesetreescouldtalk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/treescouldtalk
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

If These Trees Could Talk strikes me as a mildly ironic name for an instrumental group. But, then again, post-rock has the potential to be one of the most expressive musical genres when done correctly. This grove in Akron, Ohio, has been mostly silent for the last ten years since 2016’s The Bones of a Dying World, aside from a lone single in 2024. This probably explains why, despite their popularity, I was unfamiliar with If These Trees Could Talk until now, as I only developed a fondness for post-rock a few years ago. The Hidden Hand marks their second full-length with Metal Blade Records and fourth overall. How fruitful has the last decade been?

By and large, The Hidden Hand will not shock anyone with an affinity for post-rock of the instrumental persuasion. It is primarily constructed using crystalline notes and reverb-drenched chords, fluctuating between light and dark in a manner akin to pg.lost. Like We Lost the Sea, If These Trees Could Talk summon vivid soundscapes that encompass a wide variety of emotions and moods. Though this isn’t a huge sonic departure from their prior work, there are a few minor twists. The Hidden Hand sporadically borrows smidgens of bulky guitar tone from Russian Circles and Pelican, and there is even an unexpected cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” at the tail end of the album.

If These Trees Could Talk endeavors to wring the most from handfuls of simple tunes. This approach works well in some instances. The most notable of these is “Blurry Creatures,” featuring a recurring choral chant around which the multi-guitar lines coil like ivy on a trellis. “Moon Machine” is less successful as it stretches two alternating passages across 8 minutes, feeling fatiguing and formulaic. I enjoy The Hidden Hand more when the focus is on spinning poignant melodies (“Sea of Glass,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pts. 1 and 2”), but this does not happen as much as on former records. Instead, a heavier reliance on reverb at times feels antithetical to the desired atmosphere (“Moon Machine,” “Metanoia,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2”). Furthermore, the final track “Endlessly Connected” begins with soft, interwoven guitar strands that never get the chance to grow into something substantial.

The Hidden Hand is not composed in a way that appears to have considered the whole. Compared with the fluidity of prior albums, it’s more of a motley collection of tracks. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but less overall synergy means less staying power in this case. “Metanoia” and “Flim” stick out in particular. The former leans into perky prog rock, and the latter, while a faithful cover, would have fit better in a setting such as Stardew Valley. Additionally, the percussion seems to have lost much of the free-flowing flair that helped foster the unity of The Bones of a Dying World. In The Hidden Hand, it mainly consists of standard rock beats dressed with syncopation, resulting in a more generic feeling across the board.

Ultimately, The Hidden Hand is not as convincing a comeback as I would have hoped. For whatever reason, some of the magic has disappeared in the last ten years. Given that this was my first experience with If These Trees Could Talk, I can say with certainty that this is not because of pent-up or unrealistic expectations. Their prior magnificence can still be heard in the likes of “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2” and “Blurry Creatures,” but, even so, The Hidden Hand likely won’t change anyone’s mind about whether they like instrumental-only music. While for me, The Hidden Hand isn’t worth the opportunity cost when craving post-rock, I’m grateful to have been introduced to The Bones of a Dying World, and I look forward to spending more time with that one.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: ifthesetreescouldtalk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/treescouldtalk
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

If These Trees Could Talk strikes me as a mildly ironic name for an instrumental group. But, then again, post-rock has the potential to be one of the most expressive musical genres when done correctly. This grove in Akron, Ohio, has been mostly silent for the last ten years since 2016’s The Bones of a Dying World, aside from a lone single in 2024. This probably explains why, despite their popularity, I was unfamiliar with If These Trees Could Talk until now, as I only developed a fondness for post-rock a few years ago. The Hidden Hand marks their second full-length with Metal Blade Records and fourth overall. How fruitful has the last decade been?

By and large, The Hidden Hand will not shock anyone with an affinity for post-rock of the instrumental persuasion. It is primarily constructed using crystalline notes and reverb-drenched chords, fluctuating between light and dark in a manner akin to pg.lost. Like We Lost the Sea, If These Trees Could Talk summon vivid soundscapes that encompass a wide variety of emotions and moods. Though this isn’t a huge sonic departure from their prior work, there are a few minor twists. The Hidden Hand sporadically borrows smidgens of bulky guitar tone from Russian Circles and Pelican, and there is even an unexpected cover of Aphex Twin’s “Flim” at the tail end of the album.

If These Trees Could Talk endeavors to wring the most from handfuls of simple tunes. This approach works well in some instances. The most notable of these is “Blurry Creatures,” featuring a recurring choral chant around which the multi-guitar lines coil like ivy on a trellis. “Moon Machine” is less successful as it stretches two alternating passages across 8 minutes, feeling fatiguing and formulaic. I enjoy The Hidden Hand more when the focus is on spinning poignant melodies (“Sea of Glass,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pts. 1 and 2”), but this does not happen as much as on former records. Instead, a heavier reliance on reverb at times feels antithetical to the desired atmosphere (“Moon Machine,” “Metanoia,” “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2”). Furthermore, the final track “Endlessly Connected” begins with soft, interwoven guitar strands that never get the chance to grow into something substantial.

The Hidden Hand is not composed in a way that appears to have considered the whole. Compared with the fluidity of prior albums, it’s more of a motley collection of tracks. This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, but less overall synergy means less staying power in this case. “Metanoia” and “Flim” stick out in particular. The former leans into perky prog rock, and the latter, while a faithful cover, would have fit better in a setting such as Stardew Valley. Additionally, the percussion seems to have lost much of the free-flowing flair that helped foster the unity of The Bones of a Dying World. In The Hidden Hand, it mainly consists of standard rock beats dressed with syncopation, resulting in a more generic feeling across the board.

Ultimately, The Hidden Hand is not as convincing a comeback as I would have hoped. For whatever reason, some of the magic has disappeared in the last ten years. Given that this was my first experience with If These Trees Could Talk, I can say with certainty that this is not because of pent-up or unrealistic expectations. Their prior magnificence can still be heard in the likes of “Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2” and “Blurry Creatures,” but, even so, The Hidden Hand likely won’t change anyone’s mind about whether they like instrumental-only music. While for me, The Hidden Hand isn’t worth the opportunity cost when craving post-rock, I’m grateful to have been introduced to The Bones of a Dying World, and I look forward to spending more time with that one.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: ifthesetreescouldtalk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/treescouldtalk
Releases Worldwide: July 10th, 2026

Russian Circles anunció nuevo álbum y presenta el primer corte «Empath» | vía #NaciónRock

https://www.nacionrock.com/russian-circles-anuncio-nuevo-album-y-presenta-el-primer-corte-empath/

#adelantos #russiancircles

Fuck yeah, new #RussianCircles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrb64_QFetU

Fuck yeah, new #RussianCircles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrb64_QFetU

Fuck yeah, new #RussianCircles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrb64_QFetU

Fuck yeah, new #RussianCircles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrb64_QFetU

Fuck yeah, new #RussianCircles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrb64_QFetU

Did y'all know there's a new Russian Circles in August? Whattt

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/nine

@wendigo @rtw #PostRock #PostMetal #RussianCircles #Chicago #2026Albums #2026Records

Did y'all know there's a new Russian Circles in August? Whattt

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/nine

@wendigo @rtw #PostRock #PostMetal #RussianCircles #Chicago #2026Albums #2026Records

Did y'all know there's a new Russian Circles in August? Whattt

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/nine

@wendigo @rtw #PostRock #PostMetal #RussianCircles #Chicago #2026Albums #2026Records

Did y'all know there's a new Russian Circles in August? Whattt

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/nine

@wendigo @rtw #PostRock #PostMetal #RussianCircles #Chicago #2026Albums #2026Records

Did y'all know there's a new Russian Circles in August? Whattt

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/album/nine

@wendigo @rtw #PostRock #PostMetal #RussianCircles #Chicago #2026Albums #2026Records

Russian Circles (post metal / US) sortira son nouvel album 'Nine' le 28 août chez Sargent House. 'Empath', premier extrait, s'écoute ici : https://youtu.be/qrb64_QFetU?si=vB317j5ZI9vq48gw
📸 Chris Strong
#russiancircles #postmetal #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles (post metal / US) sortira son nouvel album 'Nine' le 28 août chez Sargent House. 'Empath', premier extrait, s'écoute ici : https://youtu.be/qrb64_QFetU?si=vB317j5ZI9vq48gw
📸 Chris Strong
#russiancircles #postmetal #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles (post metal / US) sortira son nouvel album 'Nine' le 28 août chez Sargent House. 'Empath', premier extrait, s'écoute ici : https://youtu.be/qrb64_QFetU?si=vB317j5ZI9vq48gw
📸 Chris Strong
#russiancircles #postmetal #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

Russian Circles (post metal / US) sortira son nouvel album 'Nine' le 28 août chez Sargent House. 'Empath', premier extrait, s'écoute ici : https://youtu.be/qrb64_QFetU?si=vB317j5ZI9vq48gw
📸 Chris Strong
#russiancircles #postmetal #newmusic #musicnews #newsingle #nowplaying #nowlistening #nowspinning #musicvideo #nowwatching

The next Russian Circles album has been a long time coming (and still is for a couple of months) but we finally have a taster.

My thorough analysis of the new single is as follows: Hells yeah!

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

#RussianCircles
#postmetal
#postrock
#music
#musadontti

The next Russian Circles album has been a long time coming (and still is for a couple of months) but we finally have a taster.

My thorough analysis of the new single is as follows: Hells yeah!

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

#RussianCircles
#postmetal
#postrock
#music
#musadontti

The next Russian Circles album has been a long time coming (and still is for a couple of months) but we finally have a taster.

My thorough analysis of the new single is as follows: Hells yeah!

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

#RussianCircles
#postmetal
#postrock
#music
#musadontti

The next Russian Circles album has been a long time coming (and still is for a couple of months) but we finally have a taster.

My thorough analysis of the new single is as follows: Hells yeah!

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

#RussianCircles
#postmetal
#postrock
#music
#musadontti

The next Russian Circles album has been a long time coming (and still is for a couple of months) but we finally have a taster.

My thorough analysis of the new single is as follows: Hells yeah!

https://russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

#RussianCircles
#postmetal
#postrock
#music
#musadontti

#RussianCircles are back with #Empath! Yes. #music #metal #instrumental #rock russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

Empath, by Russian Circles

#RussianCircles are back with #Empath! Yes. #music #metal #instrumental #rock russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

Empath, by Russian Circles

#RussianCircles are back with #Empath! Yes. #music #metal #instrumental #rock russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

Empath, by Russian Circles

#RussianCircles are back with #Empath! Yes. #music #metal #instrumental #rock russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

Empath, by Russian Circles

#RussianCircles are back with #Empath! Yes. #music #metal #instrumental #rock russiancircles.bandcamp.com/track/empath

Empath, by Russian Circles

Earlier in June, a post-rock album delightfully surprised this middle-aged metalhead. I tend to approach post-anything with caution these days, but And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter from Sweden’s Oh Hiroshima proved a cohesive, moving experience under scrutiny. Hence, I figured I’d try my luck with another post-rock album on the same label from a band named after a beleaguered city it doesn’t call home. Thus, I approach We’re All Going to Be Fine—on Pelagic Records—by Lost in Kyiv1—from Paris—with cautious enthusiasm. Unlike their labelmates, Lost in Kyiv specialize in a (mostly) instrumental version of post-rock, occasionally adding voices that narrate, soliloquize, live inside sound clips, and even sing. Hopefully, losing myself in this Parisian quartet’s fifth album won’t have me uttering wistful interjections.

Post-rock remains an apt descriptor for Lost in Kyiv, but the band shares heritage with its heavier cousin. As with any (mostly) instrumental post-rockers influenced by Mogwai, electronics play a crucial role in crafting a cinematic experience. On We’re All Going to Be Fine, synths supply melodic hooks (“Burst,” “Euphoria”), set pulsating tones (“Eclipse”), and create mid-song drama (“Mantra”). But when the baritone guitars of Dimitri Denat and Maxime Ingrand lock into a heavy groove with bassist Jean-Christophe Condette and drummer Jérémie Legrand,2 a band like Russian Circles comes to mind. Animals as Leaders also prowl (if they were less technical), on account of Denat and Ingrand’s djent-adjacent tones and playing. For much of its 41-minute runtime, We’re All Going to Be Fine reads like a post-metal album, and a particularly lush, well-produced one at that. While the heavy riffs do lean towards the generic, I can’t deny that they frequently slap.

As a (mostly) instrumental album, We’re All Going to Be Fine mostly slips due to its ‘non-instrumental’ feature: vocals.3 One recurring way Lost in Kyiv adds voices is by threading narrations/soliloquies throughout Fine. Sometimes, these voiceovers work; “Enlightened” segues into the propulsive groove of “Burst” by echoing its title, setting up the song’s rumination on ‘masks’ as a metaphor for social alienation/performativity. But other times, the voiceovers are frustratingly inaudible (“Mantra”), or awkwardly akin to guided meditations (“Euphoria”). As for singing, it makes one and only one appearance. “Becoming” is a perfectly lovely song, powered by the gorgeous melodies and harmonies of Rebecca Need-Menear, but its verse-chorus traditionalism strays far from home on this otherwise impressionistic album. Vocals seem central to the themes Lost in Kyiv claim to explore on We’re All Going to Be Fine: ‘the tension between hope and inner collapse,’ how ‘modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other,’ ‘the fragility of mental health and the human psyche.’ As a lecture by Carl Jung closes out the album (“Liminality”), however, I’m left feeling that Fine becomes less coherent when reading its voices closely.

Fortunately, these vocals don’t prohibitively hamper the overall experience. Whether listened to passively or semi-actively, We’re All Going to Be Fine (mostly) progresses as a seamless display of haunting beauty. The first half plays more like post-metal, containing the heaviest riffing on offer. “Eclipse” is a highlight, setting a somber mood that’s popped by an infectious single-string figure and a robust brass section: trumpet, trombone, tuba. From here, Fine mixes things up, exploring multi-layered electronica (“Euphoria”) and hammer-on heroism with d-beat sprinklings (“Liminality”). “Becoming” is always the curveball. Again, it’s not a bad song by any means, but it’s unclear why Lost in Kyiv dropped one singular radio-rock song in the middle of the album. It doesn’t feel like the work of a different band per se, but it definitely feels like a work on a different kind of album.

Oh, Lost in Kyiv, how I wanted to rate your fifth outing just a bit higher. We’re All Going to Be Fine allures with its cinematic soundscapes and hits with its bouncy riffs. Alas, your vocals of various sorts make me think I’m missing the point towards which you drive. But when I play down the voices, letting its luxuriousness wash over me, Fine becomes more than fine—it becomes a (mostly) absorbing arrangement of metallic post-rock.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pelagic Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

Earlier in June, a post-rock album delightfully surprised this middle-aged metalhead. I tend to approach post-anything with caution these days, but And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter from Sweden’s Oh Hiroshima proved a cohesive, moving experience under scrutiny. Hence, I figured I’d try my luck with another post-rock album on the same label from a band named after a beleaguered city it doesn’t call home. Thus, I approach We’re All Going to Be Fine—on Pelagic Records—by Lost in Kyiv1—from Paris—with cautious enthusiasm. Unlike their labelmates, Lost in Kyiv specialize in a (mostly) instrumental version of post-rock, occasionally adding voices that narrate, soliloquize, live inside sound clips, and even sing. Hopefully, losing myself in this Parisian quartet’s fifth album won’t have me uttering wistful interjections.

Post-rock remains an apt descriptor for Lost in Kyiv, but the band shares heritage with its heavier cousin. As with any (mostly) instrumental post-rockers influenced by Mogwai, electronics play a crucial role in crafting a cinematic experience. On We’re All Going to Be Fine, synths supply melodic hooks (“Burst,” “Euphoria”), set pulsating tones (“Eclipse”), and create mid-song drama (“Mantra”). But when the baritone guitars of Dimitri Denat and Maxime Ingrand lock into a heavy groove with bassist Jean-Christophe Condette and drummer Jérémie Legrand,2 a band like Russian Circles comes to mind. Animals as Leaders also prowl (if they were less technical), on account of Denat and Ingrand’s djent-adjacent tones and playing. For much of its 41-minute runtime, We’re All Going to Be Fine reads like a post-metal album, and a particularly lush, well-produced one at that. While the heavy riffs do lean towards the generic, I can’t deny that they frequently slap.

As a (mostly) instrumental album, We’re All Going to Be Fine mostly slips due to its ‘non-instrumental’ feature: vocals.3 One recurring way Lost in Kyiv adds voices is by threading narrations/soliloquies throughout Fine. Sometimes, these voiceovers work; “Enlightened” segues into the propulsive groove of “Burst” by echoing its title, setting up the song’s rumination on ‘masks’ as a metaphor for social alienation/performativity. But other times, the voiceovers are frustratingly inaudible (“Mantra”), or awkwardly akin to guided meditations (“Euphoria”). As for singing, it makes one and only one appearance. “Becoming” is a perfectly lovely song, powered by the gorgeous melodies and harmonies of Rebecca Need-Menear, but its verse-chorus traditionalism strays far from home on this otherwise impressionistic album. Vocals seem central to the themes Lost in Kyiv claim to explore on We’re All Going to Be Fine: ‘the tension between hope and inner collapse,’ how ‘modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other,’ ‘the fragility of mental health and the human psyche.’ As a lecture by Carl Jung closes out the album (“Liminality”), however, I’m left feeling that Fine becomes less coherent when reading its voices closely.

Fortunately, these vocals don’t prohibitively hamper the overall experience. Whether listened to passively or semi-actively, We’re All Going to Be Fine (mostly) progresses as a seamless display of haunting beauty. The first half plays more like post-metal, containing the heaviest riffing on offer. “Eclipse” is a highlight, setting a somber mood that’s popped by an infectious single-string figure and a robust brass section: trumpet, trombone, tuba. From here, Fine mixes things up, exploring multi-layered electronica (“Euphoria”) and hammer-on heroism with d-beat sprinklings (“Liminality”). “Becoming” is always the curveball. Again, it’s not a bad song by any means, but it’s unclear why Lost in Kyiv dropped one singular radio-rock song in the middle of the album. It doesn’t feel like the work of a different band per se, but it definitely feels like a work on a different kind of album.

Oh, Lost in Kyiv, how I wanted to rate your fifth outing just a bit higher. We’re All Going to Be Fine allures with its cinematic soundscapes and hits with its bouncy riffs. Alas, your vocals of various sorts make me think I’m missing the point towards which you drive. But when I play down the voices, letting its luxuriousness wash over me, Fine becomes more than fine—it becomes a (mostly) absorbing arrangement of metallic post-rock.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pelagic Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

Earlier in June, a post-rock album delightfully surprised this middle-aged metalhead. I tend to approach post-anything with caution these days, but And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter from Sweden’s Oh Hiroshima proved a cohesive, moving experience under scrutiny. Hence, I figured I’d try my luck with another post-rock album on the same label from a band named after a beleaguered city it doesn’t call home. Thus, I approach We’re All Going to Be Fine—on Pelagic Records—by Lost in Kyiv1—from Paris—with cautious enthusiasm. Unlike their labelmates, Lost in Kyiv specialize in a (mostly) instrumental version of post-rock, occasionally adding voices that narrate, soliloquize, live inside sound clips, and even sing. Hopefully, losing myself in this Parisian quartet’s fifth album won’t have me uttering wistful interjections.

Post-rock remains an apt descriptor for Lost in Kyiv, but the band shares heritage with its heavier cousin. As with any (mostly) instrumental post-rockers influenced by Mogwai, electronics play a crucial role in crafting a cinematic experience. On We’re All Going to Be Fine, synths supply melodic hooks (“Burst,” “Euphoria”), set pulsating tones (“Eclipse”), and create mid-song drama (“Mantra”). But when the baritone guitars of Dimitri Denat and Maxime Ingrand lock into a heavy groove with bassist Jean-Christophe Condette and drummer Jérémie Legrand,2 a band like Russian Circles comes to mind. Animals as Leaders also prowl (if they were less technical), on account of Denat and Ingrand’s djent-adjacent tones and playing. For much of its 41-minute runtime, We’re All Going to Be Fine reads like a post-metal album, and a particularly lush, well-produced one at that. While the heavy riffs do lean towards the generic, I can’t deny that they frequently slap.

As a (mostly) instrumental album, We’re All Going to Be Fine mostly slips due to its ‘non-instrumental’ feature: vocals.3 One recurring way Lost in Kyiv adds voices is by threading narrations/soliloquies throughout Fine. Sometimes, these voiceovers work; “Enlightened” segues into the propulsive groove of “Burst” by echoing its title, setting up the song’s rumination on ‘masks’ as a metaphor for social alienation/performativity. But other times, the voiceovers are frustratingly inaudible (“Mantra”), or awkwardly akin to guided meditations (“Euphoria”). As for singing, it makes one and only one appearance. “Becoming” is a perfectly lovely song, powered by the gorgeous melodies and harmonies of Rebecca Need-Menear, but its verse-chorus traditionalism strays far from home on this otherwise impressionistic album. Vocals seem central to the themes Lost in Kyiv claim to explore on We’re All Going to Be Fine: ‘the tension between hope and inner collapse,’ how ‘modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other,’ ‘the fragility of mental health and the human psyche.’ As a lecture by Carl Jung closes out the album (“Liminality”), however, I’m left feeling that Fine becomes less coherent when reading its voices closely.

Fortunately, these vocals don’t prohibitively hamper the overall experience. Whether listened to passively or semi-actively, We’re All Going to Be Fine (mostly) progresses as a seamless display of haunting beauty. The first half plays more like post-metal, containing the heaviest riffing on offer. “Eclipse” is a highlight, setting a somber mood that’s popped by an infectious single-string figure and a robust brass section: trumpet, trombone, tuba. From here, Fine mixes things up, exploring multi-layered electronica (“Euphoria”) and hammer-on heroism with d-beat sprinklings (“Liminality”). “Becoming” is always the curveball. Again, it’s not a bad song by any means, but it’s unclear why Lost in Kyiv dropped one singular radio-rock song in the middle of the album. It doesn’t feel like the work of a different band per se, but it definitely feels like a work on a different kind of album.

Oh, Lost in Kyiv, how I wanted to rate your fifth outing just a bit higher. We’re All Going to Be Fine allures with its cinematic soundscapes and hits with its bouncy riffs. Alas, your vocals of various sorts make me think I’m missing the point towards which you drive. But when I play down the voices, letting its luxuriousness wash over me, Fine becomes more than fine—it becomes a (mostly) absorbing arrangement of metallic post-rock.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pelagic Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

Show 3 footnotes

1. The band used to be stylized as Lost in Kiev but changed the spelling of its titular city this year, for semi-obvious reasons. ↩
2. We’re All Going to Be Fine is Legrand’s first album with Lost in Kyiv. ↩
3. It feels weird implying that a voice is not an instrument, hence the scare quotes. ↩

Earlier in June, a post-rock album delightfully surprised this middle-aged metalhead. I tend to approach post-anything with caution these days, but And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter from Sweden’s Oh Hiroshima proved a cohesive, moving experience under scrutiny. Hence, I figured I’d try my luck with another post-rock album on the same label from a band named after a beleaguered city it doesn’t call home. Thus, I approach We’re All Going to Be Fine—on Pelagic Records—by Lost in Kyiv1—from Paris—with cautious enthusiasm. Unlike their labelmates, Lost in Kyiv specialize in a (mostly) instrumental version of post-rock, occasionally adding voices that narrate, soliloquize, live inside sound clips, and even sing. Hopefully, losing myself in this Parisian quartet’s fifth album won’t have me uttering wistful interjections.

Post-rock remains an apt descriptor for Lost in Kyiv, but the band shares heritage with its heavier cousin. As with any (mostly) instrumental post-rockers influenced by Mogwai, electronics play a crucial role in crafting a cinematic experience. On We’re All Going to Be Fine, synths supply melodic hooks (“Burst,” “Euphoria”), set pulsating tones (“Eclipse”), and create mid-song drama (“Mantra”). But when the baritone guitars of Dimitri Denat and Maxime Ingrand lock into a heavy groove with bassist Jean-Christophe Condette and drummer Jérémie Legrand,2 a band like Russian Circles comes to mind. Animals as Leaders also prowl (if they were less technical), on account of Denat and Ingrand’s djent-adjacent tones and playing. For much of its 41-minute runtime, We’re All Going to Be Fine reads like a post-metal album, and a particularly lush, well-produced one at that. While the heavy riffs do lean towards the generic, I can’t deny that they frequently slap.

As a (mostly) instrumental album, We’re All Going to Be Fine mostly slips due to its ‘non-instrumental’ feature: vocals.3 One recurring way Lost in Kyiv adds voices is by threading narrations/soliloquies throughout Fine. Sometimes, these voiceovers work; “Enlightened” segues into the propulsive groove of “Burst” by echoing its title, setting up the song’s rumination on ‘masks’ as a metaphor for social alienation/performativity. But other times, the voiceovers are frustratingly inaudible (“Mantra”), or awkwardly akin to guided meditations (“Euphoria”). As for singing, it makes one and only one appearance. “Becoming” is a perfectly lovely song, powered by the gorgeous melodies and harmonies of Rebecca Need-Menear, but its verse-chorus traditionalism strays far from home on this otherwise impressionistic album. Vocals seem central to the themes Lost in Kyiv claim to explore on We’re All Going to Be Fine: ‘the tension between hope and inner collapse,’ how ‘modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other,’ ‘the fragility of mental health and the human psyche.’ As a lecture by Carl Jung closes out the album (“Liminality”), however, I’m left feeling that Fine becomes less coherent when reading its voices closely.

Fortunately, these vocals don’t prohibitively hamper the overall experience. Whether listened to passively or semi-actively, We’re All Going to Be Fine (mostly) progresses as a seamless display of haunting beauty. The first half plays more like post-metal, containing the heaviest riffing on offer. “Eclipse” is a highlight, setting a somber mood that’s popped by an infectious single-string figure and a robust brass section: trumpet, trombone, tuba. From here, Fine mixes things up, exploring multi-layered electronica (“Euphoria”) and hammer-on heroism with d-beat sprinklings (“Liminality”). “Becoming” is always the curveball. Again, it’s not a bad song by any means, but it’s unclear why Lost in Kyiv dropped one singular radio-rock song in the middle of the album. It doesn’t feel like the work of a different band per se, but it definitely feels like a work on a different kind of album.

Oh, Lost in Kyiv, how I wanted to rate your fifth outing just a bit higher. We’re All Going to Be Fine allures with its cinematic soundscapes and hits with its bouncy riffs. Alas, your vocals of various sorts make me think I’m missing the point towards which you drive. But when I play down the voices, letting its luxuriousness wash over me, Fine becomes more than fine—it becomes a (mostly) absorbing arrangement of metallic post-rock.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pelagic Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

Earlier in June, a post-rock album delightfully surprised this middle-aged metalhead. I tend to approach post-anything with caution these days, but And the Dead Tree Gives No Shelter from Sweden’s Oh Hiroshima proved a cohesive, moving experience under scrutiny. Hence, I figured I’d try my luck with another post-rock album on the same label from a band named after a beleaguered city it doesn’t call home. Thus, I approach We’re All Going to Be Fine—on Pelagic Records—by Lost in Kyiv1—from Paris—with cautious enthusiasm. Unlike their labelmates, Lost in Kyiv specialize in a (mostly) instrumental version of post-rock, occasionally adding voices that narrate, soliloquize, live inside sound clips, and even sing. Hopefully, losing myself in this Parisian quartet’s fifth album won’t have me uttering wistful interjections.

Post-rock remains an apt descriptor for Lost in Kyiv, but the band shares heritage with its heavier cousin. As with any (mostly) instrumental post-rockers influenced by Mogwai, electronics play a crucial role in crafting a cinematic experience. On We’re All Going to Be Fine, synths supply melodic hooks (“Burst,” “Euphoria”), set pulsating tones (“Eclipse”), and create mid-song drama (“Mantra”). But when the baritone guitars of Dimitri Denat and Maxime Ingrand lock into a heavy groove with bassist Jean-Christophe Condette and drummer Jérémie Legrand,2 a band like Russian Circles comes to mind. Animals as Leaders also prowl (if they were less technical), on account of Denat and Ingrand’s djent-adjacent tones and playing. For much of its 41-minute runtime, We’re All Going to Be Fine reads like a post-metal album, and a particularly lush, well-produced one at that. While the heavy riffs do lean towards the generic, I can’t deny that they frequently slap.

As a (mostly) instrumental album, We’re All Going to Be Fine mostly slips due to its ‘non-instrumental’ feature: vocals.3 One recurring way Lost in Kyiv adds voices is by threading narrations/soliloquies throughout Fine. Sometimes, these voiceovers work; “Enlightened” segues into the propulsive groove of “Burst” by echoing its title, setting up the song’s rumination on ‘masks’ as a metaphor for social alienation/performativity. But other times, the voiceovers are frustratingly inaudible (“Mantra”), or awkwardly akin to guided meditations (“Euphoria”). As for singing, it makes one and only one appearance. “Becoming” is a perfectly lovely song, powered by the gorgeous melodies and harmonies of Rebecca Need-Menear, but its verse-chorus traditionalism strays far from home on this otherwise impressionistic album. Vocals seem central to the themes Lost in Kyiv claim to explore on We’re All Going to Be Fine: ‘the tension between hope and inner collapse,’ how ‘modern life can disconnect us from ourselves and each other,’ ‘the fragility of mental health and the human psyche.’ As a lecture by Carl Jung closes out the album (“Liminality”), however, I’m left feeling that Fine becomes less coherent when reading its voices closely.

Fortunately, these vocals don’t prohibitively hamper the overall experience. Whether listened to passively or semi-actively, We’re All Going to Be Fine (mostly) progresses as a seamless display of haunting beauty. The first half plays more like post-metal, containing the heaviest riffing on offer. “Eclipse” is a highlight, setting a somber mood that’s popped by an infectious single-string figure and a robust brass section: trumpet, trombone, tuba. From here, Fine mixes things up, exploring multi-layered electronica (“Euphoria”) and hammer-on heroism with d-beat sprinklings (“Liminality”). “Becoming” is always the curveball. Again, it’s not a bad song by any means, but it’s unclear why Lost in Kyiv dropped one singular radio-rock song in the middle of the album. It doesn’t feel like the work of a different band per se, but it definitely feels like a work on a different kind of album.

Oh, Lost in Kyiv, how I wanted to rate your fifth outing just a bit higher. We’re All Going to Be Fine allures with its cinematic soundscapes and hits with its bouncy riffs. Alas, your vocals of various sorts make me think I’m missing the point towards which you drive. But when I play down the voices, letting its luxuriousness wash over me, Fine becomes more than fine—it becomes a (mostly) absorbing arrangement of metallic post-rock.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pelagic Records
Websites: Facebook | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

Deficit · Russian Circles Live at Dunk! Fest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCeyhMcDIo0&list=OLAK5uy_mLu_izV5i9RXpW93kLP_w6qJk3jG0lcJ8

Deficit · Russian Circles Live at Dunk! Fest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCeyhMcDIo0&list=OLAK5uy_mLu_izV5i9RXpW93kLP_w6qJk3jG0lcJ8

Last weekend's #dunkfestival was wet, cold and muddy, but with a few ray's of hope every now and then. Just how I like my #postrock 👌

I brought my newly acquired analog camera with me, and I'm quite suprised by some of my pictures, I was expecting a lot worse 😅

#concert #photography #analog #analogphotography #RussianCircles #minolta #x700 #kodakcolor

Last weekend's #dunkfestival was wet, cold and muddy, but with a few ray's of hope every now and then. Just how I like my #postrock 👌

I brought my newly acquired analog camera with me, and I'm quite suprised by some of my pictures, I was expecting a lot worse 😅

#concert #photography #analog #analogphotography #RussianCircles #minolta #x700 #kodakcolor

Last weekend's #dunkfestival was wet, cold and muddy, but with a few ray's of hope every now and then. Just how I like my #postrock 👌

I brought my newly acquired analog camera with me, and I'm quite suprised by some of my pictures, I was expecting a lot worse 😅

#concert #photography #analog #analogphotography #RussianCircles #minolta #x700 #kodakcolor

Last weekend's #dunkfestival was wet, cold and muddy, but with a few ray's of hope every now and then. Just how I like my #postrock 👌

I brought my newly acquired analog camera with me, and I'm quite suprised by some of my pictures, I was expecting a lot worse 😅

#concert #photography #analog #analogphotography #RussianCircles #minolta #x700 #kodakcolor

Last weekend's #dunkfestival was wet, cold and muddy, but with a few ray's of hope every now and then. Just how I like my #postrock 👌

I brought my newly acquired analog camera with me, and I'm quite suprised by some of my pictures, I was expecting a lot worse 😅

#concert #photography #analog #analogphotography #RussianCircles #minolta #x700 #kodakcolor

Mentally preparing for #dunkfestival this long weekend. The last few editions were inside @viernulviergent's building, but this year they are going back to the forest of #zottegem. I have fond memories of the epic post-rock concerts on the forest stage 😍

This year's highlights will definitely be #RussianCircles and the TWO sets of #welostthesea, including one session playing the whole Departure Songs album. As always I am looking forward to discovering new gems as well 💎

Mentally preparing for #dunkfestival this long weekend. The last few editions were inside @viernulviergent's building, but this year they are going back to the forest of #zottegem. I have fond memories of the epic post-rock concerts on the forest stage 😍

This year's highlights will definitely be #RussianCircles and the TWO sets of #welostthesea, including one session playing the whole Departure Songs album. As always I am looking forward to discovering new gems as well 💎

Mentally preparing for #dunkfestival this long weekend. The last few editions were inside @viernulviergent's building, but this year they are going back to the forest of #zottegem. I have fond memories of the epic post-rock concerts on the forest stage 😍

This year's highlights will definitely be #RussianCircles and the TWO sets of #welostthesea, including one session playing the whole Departure Songs album. As always I am looking forward to discovering new gems as well 💎

Mentally preparing for #dunkfestival this long weekend. The last few editions were inside @viernulviergent's building, but this year they are going back to the forest of #zottegem. I have fond memories of the epic post-rock concerts on the forest stage 😍

This year's highlights will definitely be #RussianCircles and the TWO sets of #welostthesea, including one session playing the whole Departure Songs album. As always I am looking forward to discovering new gems as well 💎

Mentally preparing for #dunkfestival this long weekend. The last few editions were inside @viernulviergent's building, but this year they are going back to the forest of #zottegem. I have fond memories of the epic post-rock concerts on the forest stage 😍

This year's highlights will definitely be #RussianCircles and the TWO sets of #welostthesea, including one session playing the whole Departure Songs album. As always I am looking forward to discovering new gems as well 💎

#RussianCircles with #Pelican on Europe #Tour 2026 I've already seen #RussianCircles; they were great live. #music #metal