The next session revolves around post-rock and its related genres. Releases by Oh Hiroshima, Non Somnia, and Tidings were ones I had listened to before, but only now do I feel ready to comment on them. Any difference in feeling this time around? Let’s see.
The Abyss Inside Us – Aerialist (2020)
Aerialist is the band’s fifth album and easily the most emotionally solid among the ones I’ve tried so far. There’s one clear anomaly: the title track. The singing feels rather ordinary—the vocals don’t quite blend in and seem somewhat misplaced. “Summer in Her Heart (Prelude in C minor)” is still tolerable thanks to its darker nuance rather than a heart-piercing one.
Aside from those two tracks, I admit the album deserves a place in my favorites playlist—especially “From Zero to Infinity,” which uses children’s voice samples and violin to heighten its melancholic weight.
Highlight: everything except “Aerialist”
Ciśnienie – [Angry Noises] (2025)
With artwork reminiscent of Kafabindünya, I initially assumed this Polish band would lean toward post-hardcore or emo. I was completely wrong—and admittedly ignored the warning in the album title.
Ciśnienie delivers truly noisy experimental rock, living up to its “angry” label. The trumpet adds a jazz/progressive rock flavor, intensifying the discomfort in the first two tracks. Thankfully, there’s a descent into calmer territory with “Gówno” and “Carthago Delanda Est,” which serve as safer entry points.
Despite being one of Bandcamp’s best-selling albums last year, it doesn’t quite suit my ears. It’s probably better appreciated by fans of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and other experimental rock acts.
Highlight: Gówno, Carthago Delanda Est
Kyle Tussing – 2.71 (2024)
Another experimental rock act here is Kyle Tussing. The presentation isn’t as heavy as Ciśnienie, making it more accessible in tone. Tracks like “Parasites” and “The Third World War” ease listeners in before shifting fully into experimental territory with “2.71” and beyond.
There’s piano and music-box textures in “Stealing Back My Time,” while “You Got This, Porky” leans toward math-rock-style picking. The abrasive edge reminiscent of Ciśnienie appears again in the closing track, “Jehoram’s Bowels.”
So yes, Kyle Tussing still feels relevant within that sphere. Worth a try.
Highlight: Parasites, The Third World War, Stealing Back My Time, You Got This, Porky
Non Somnia – Ajna (2023)
Spain’s Non Somnia offers something darker, heavier, and slower—leaning toward gothic/doom metal, especially in the opener “White Moon Black Moon” and the closer “Naamá,” which incorporates scream-style vocals to intensify the ominous atmosphere.
The middle section introduces Middle Eastern folk touches in “Tanja” and “Lamento.” Overall, it feels more like atmospheric/ symphonic gothic rock than conventional post-rock or blackened post-rock/metal. Still, it doesn’t disrupt the thematic circle I’ve built here—particularly since I don’t have a better-fitting counterpart in my current playlist stock.
Highlight: White Moon Black Moon, Naamá
Oh Hiroshima – All Things Shining (2024)
One of the more prominent post-rock bands that actively incorporates vocals into their songs. It reminds me somewhat of Psychonaut, their labelmate at Pelagic Records—though clearly not as heavy.
Honestly, the emotional impact isn’t as strong as In Silence We Yearn, though I appreciate it more after a second listen now. The guitar compositions feel somewhat rough; perhaps it would’ve been more convincing had they leaned further into post-metal. “Deluge” has a modern texture, while “Holiness Movement” is lighter—both of which might end up near the back of my rotation.
In the end, I’m unsure which tracks truly click, but I’ll likely revisit the others beyond those two.
Highlight: Swans in a Field, Secret Youth, Rite of Passage
Tidings – Death Leaves a Bright Trail (2015)
This Edinburgh, UK band closes the session with four tracks that maintain atmosphere without becoming overly heavy, despite dwelling in post-metal/rock territory. As a group I discovered in my early post-metal phase during the 2020s, Tidings brings a flicker of nostalgia—revealing potential I hadn’t recognized back then.
There are no crushing, destructive, or abrasive riffs, though the sound remains solid at certain points. “On His Wings Hang Regrets and Remorse” and “The Bone Orchard I – Across the Plains” seem to display a kind of beauty I would normally overlook in post-metal.
There’s no overwhelming sadness or awe, honestly—but is it some kind of hypnosis? Those two tracks somehow convinced me to pair them with the other two, which had already made it into my favorites playlist. Strange.
In short, Death Leaves a Bright Trail isn’t something I can fully declare extraordinary—yet a spark of nostalgia within it reveals a landscape I hadn’t previously noticed.
Thank you, Tidings.
Highlight: all tracks
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