In the world of Instrumental Rock music, few stand out quite like Ireland’s God Is An Astronaut.
Dubbed Post-Rock, alongside other well-known acts like Explosions in the Sky, Russian Circles, Pelican, and Japan’s Mono, God Is An Astronaut has been a beacon of consistency for over twenty years. Formed by brothers Guitarist/Keyboardist Torsten and Bassist Niels Kinsella, the band has worked as a three-piece with Lloyd Hanney on drums for some time. Releasing one striking soundscape of music after another, from their 2002 debut album The End of the Beginning to 2022’s Somnia, in 2024, they return with Embers.
God Is An Astronaut’s eleventh overall studio album, Embers, arrived on September 6th through Napalm Records and is full of haunting moments. With a total of nine songs, the collection captures a different mood than prior releases while still retaining the signature tones of the band. Driven by one dazzling guitar melody after another, the momentum builds track to track, where you hang off the anticipation of one layer after another, building like a wall of sound. Very ear-tingling and exhilarating, these songs are structured in a manner where you can envision a scene playing out before your eyes, filled with sorrow and tension but also triumph. Considering this, you would have to imagine witnessing the trio perform them in a live venue would be stunning.
The emotion is delivered with an intent force where each guitar riff’s resonation moves you and burns a lasting impression deep within your core. With this in mind, the instrumentational stories vary from the darker “Apparition” to the more hopeful sensations of “Falling Leaves.” This while heavier moments such as “Odyssey” crash like a wave into the doomish bass/keys led “Heart of Roots.” However, beyond these selected mentions, many more interesting ebbs and flows remain throughout Embers.
Embers showcases God Is An Astronaut’s exceptional sense and ability to know when to push or pull back in particular moments. In other words, the compositions flow evenly downstream like a river after heavy rainfall. Inevitability allowing nature to take its course, God Is An Astronaut lets the music dictate the direction. As stated, the guitars, drums, and bass, by and large, guide the ship. However, the delicate subtleties, such as the usage of sitar, cello, zither, shamanic drums, bowed psaltery, chimes, and tanpura, only make the listening experience that much more multi-dimensional. What could be God Is An Astronaut’s most extraordinary album yet, Cryptic Rock, gives Embers 5 out of 5 stars.
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