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
