Godspeed You! Black Emperor returns from a decade break
Ethan Hall
HUB Staff Writer–
In 2002 Godspeed You! Black Emperor released their album Yanqui U.X.O., it’s ten years later and they are back at it again. The debut their new album, Allujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, in October of 2012, was quite a hit for the Canadian band. The decade gap between their album releases did not stop them from receiving high praise by many post-rock fans.
The compact disk release of Allujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! consists of four tracks, the longest of them lasting for over 20 minutes.
“Mladic”, a personal favorite track of mine, builds from a vocal snippet, then progresses into a pleather of guitar crescendos and a dramatic bass melody. The song peaks in intensity then dwindles down, leaving the listener with a feeling of dark hopelessness.
On the other hand, “We Drift Like Worried Fire”, is a complete opposite. This track slowly gathers all of its musical elements in a crescendo of guitar notes that make you crave more. To address this longing, the final track “Strung Like Lights At Thee Printemps Erable”, accurately sums up the musical elements and themes of the album.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor used their new album to complete unfinished business from their previous release, Yanqui U.X.O. Much like their previous albums, Allujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! contains music that is meant to be a political comment on today’s global issues. If you’re a post-rock follower, you will not be disappointed by this new album.
