Friday 3 October 2014

If These Trees Could Talk "Red Forest" (2012)


If These Trees Could Talk are an instrumental five piece Post-metal band from Ohio, USA, who in 2012 released this, their second full length album. The five forge grandiose ethereal soundscapes with a dreamy and melodic sensibility that gives birth to a rich, indulging and relaxing listening experience across the nine tracks of this album.

With 3 guitars alongside the drums and bass Trees's sound is as expansive as it is immersible. It true Post-metal fashion they build rich and progressive atmospheres with the layered instrumentations of the 3 guitars giving them a lot of depth on the melodic front. The bass is somewhat quiet, usually plodding along behind the guitar leads, which do steal the show, however the bass's presence would be missed if non-existent. The drumming is terrific, being ever present in the songs and providing excellent structure, they never steal the show yet are a powerful part of the atmosphere.

From start to end there are plenty of varied moments, but Trees doesn't push the mold or try anything out of its comfort zone, which is quite fitting for their sound as it feels somewhat "complete" within itself. This is a very mature record with an immersible quality to offer. The aesthetic is warm, and slightly muddy. Theres no need for over the top squeaky clean production here, the instruments are given that room to bleed into each other slightly and it compliments the music well. Great record, hoping they will have another record out soon.

Favorite Tracks: The First Fire, When The Big Hand Buries The Twelve
Rating: 6/10