Mountaineer‘s gorgeously impressive Dawn and All That Follows delivers a poignant journey through introspection and longing.
Release date: July 26, 2024 | A Thousand Arms | Facebook | Bandcamp
It is no secret that Everything Is Noise are massive fans of WFA alum, Mountaineer, and for good reason too. We’ve covered their two latest works (Bloodletting & Giving up the Ghost) and with the upcoming release of their newest effort, Dawn and All That Follows, we feverish jumped at the opportunity to keep the streak alive. It’d be stupid of us not to talk about it as much as it would be for you to not listen to it once it drops; do it if you know what’s good for you. Dawn and All That Follows shows Mountaineer having gracefully evolved into their ultimate expression, crafting music that enchants with its alluring, ethereal depth and emotional intensity.
Self-described as dreamy post-metal (in a non-pretentious way, I swear), you can already start to get an idea of what to expect from their unique musical tapestry if you aren’t already privy; if that is the case, you best familiarize yourself. What they intentionally don’t tell you upfront, leaving you to discover on your own which is oh-so satisfying, is how they craft such masterfully written, linear songs that are immensely effective and emotionally profound. Having discovered them through the release of Bloodletting, their approach to composing and arranging songs immediately captured my interest, as I was constantly eager with anticipation to find out the next direction their music would take me on next.
While their latest record, Giving up the Ghost, may not deliver the same emotional impact as their previous works, it undeniably showcases well-crafted and skillfully executed songwriting within its concise direction. I still pop on “When The Soul Sleeps” on the regular because that just hits on another level. Anyways, with all that being said, for those wanting a ‘return’ to compositions akin to that of Bloodletting and earlier material, you can rest easy as Dawn and All That Follows delivers the goods in true Mountaineer fashion.
In addition to these really engaging, progressive songs, Dawn and All That Follows demonstrates how much they achieve with ‘so little’; Mountaineer are the musical epitome of ‘less is more’. There is nothing ostentatious about their music, nor is there a need for grandiose gestures or flashy embellishments. Instead, their compositions flourish with subtlety and nuance, with each note and rest strategically building tension that will eventually find a satisfying and musically organic release. Take the very simple yet emotionally evocative guitar ‘solo’, or rather lead melody, that appears towards the end of “Cradlesong”. The precise moment that it hits, just as the track is culminating into this emotional explosion is enough to get the eyes watering; mind you that this is just the first track on the record.
After having had plenty of time to properly acquaint myself with the music at hand, I’ve noticed subtle references to melodic motifs and lyrical phrases as heard on previous material. For example, the glistening clean guitar arpeggios that open up the track “Cradlesong” and close out “Testimonial” send me right back “When The Soul Sleeps” and “Giving Up” from the preceding album. It isn’t that the melody is lazily recycled but rather intentionally rephrased and shown in a different light based on the respective song that they’re featured on. Although that melodic recurrence across tracks/albums is not necessarily to achieve this, it helps the music across the entirety of their catalogue feel as if it all belongs to this hypothetical musical universe.
When it comes to lyrical references, “Parallels” closes out the record with pure melancholy in its tender repetition of the phrase ‘this moment will last forever’. The mournful delivery and lyrical content instantly reminded me of the bonus track from Bloodletting, “Still”, which concludes with an equally sorrowful repetition of the lyrics ‘I want this to end’. These contrasting yet parallel themes of permanence and finality resonate with me deeply, capturing the bittersweet essence of the spectrum of human emotion – in this case, yearning for both eternal moments and the release from perpetual pain. “Parallels” couldn’t be more aptly titled.
Speaking of “Parallels”, it is absolutely one hell of a way to wrap up Dawn and All That Follows. As the song reaches its final fleeting moments, the climax-within-a-climax that is the utterly gorgeous and celestial synths sends my mind into cosmic bliss. It is as powerful the hundredth time as it is the first. The album artwork itself is the best thing that can accurately describe how that precise moment makes me feel; a flash flood of color and warmth consuming me and transcending into a serene, otherworldly experience. I just wish that this moment would have lasted forever…
Dawn and All That Follows stands as a testament to Mountaineer and their ability to evoke profound emotions through their music. Each track here reflects the wisdom that comes with age and experience, demonstrated by their mastery in crafting atmospheric and emotionally resonant compositions. The album’s artwork vividly depicts the ethereal journey their music takes listeners on, one that is a near-fifty-minute voyage of introspection, longing, and transcendence. With its delicate balance of melancholy and beauty alongside artistic restraint, Dawn and All That Follows leaves an unforgettable impact, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in its evocative soundscapes time and time again.
