Overview: From its slow, ambient and erie introduction “Breath of Life” to its lengthy and climactic end “When the Big Hand Buries the Twelve”, If These Trees Could Talk’s Red Forest is a turbulent journey. Throughout its entirety, the album settles you with its ambient blend of plucked and delayed notes from all three guitarists, accented by detailed drum work, only to throw you into a state of head-banging glory with its emotionally gripping and soaring guitar leads over a driving and heavy rhythm section. With their newest release, the Akron, OH five piece deliver their most powerful and refined piece of work yet.
In comparison to their previous releases, their self-titled EP If These Trees Could Talk and Above The Earth, Below The Sky, ITTCT haven’t changed their sound much. They take a step in a slightly heavier and more aggressive direction, pushing the boundaries of post-rock and moving into post-metal territory at times, but manage to stay true to the sound they have created for themselves. Fans of ITTCT can still enjoy heavily layered guitar work with delay effects, song driving drum work, heavy rhythms, beautiful harmonies and mood changing transitions that give individuality and character to each song. The band’s progression, with the new album, is more about improvement on their organization and structure with each song and the album as a whole.
Structurally, Red Forest is ITTCT’s most well put together album to date, playing out like a story told through each song. The overall album structure creates a flow from one song to the next keeping you interested along the way with varying and intricate guitar melodies, rhythms and song structures. Each progression seems well thought out. The transitions make sense and contribute to the overall feel of each song, instead of giving you the feeling that they’re just jumping from one guitar riff to another.
Although Red Forest doesn’t deliver anything entirely new or innovative for fans of ITTCT or the post-rock/post-metal genres, it does build on what is already appealing to those fans. The structural organization and musicality displayed in this LP sets it apart from many by creating not only an amazing post-rock album but, an experience as well. If These Trees Could Talk’s Red Forest is definitely worth experiencing.
Noteworthy Tracks:
ALL OF THEM!
But if I must list a few…
“Aleutian Clouds” - This track stands out, in essence, because it is short, simple and sweet. What makes this song is its uplifting and soul grasping delayed guitar harmonies throughout the verses that lead into its powerful distortion riddled choruses. This track definitely leaves you wanting more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucApSzKszGI
“Barren Lands of the Modern Dinosaur” - This song has a great steady rhythm throughout most of the song. It’s filled with captivating song transitions that drive you along and lead you up to its ending where it all comes together with an epic barrage of layered guitar work. Everything you could want from a ITTCT song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vhUkzmqcRk
“Left to Rust and Rot” - This song has the most familiar feel to it. Out of all the songs from the new album, this sounds like it could be a track from Above The Earth, Below The Sky. Fans of ITTCT just getting into the new album might be attracted to this song most at first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fZKTOYf9VA&feature=related
(Source: duermete22)
