POST DEATH SOUNDTRACK’s Album Is a Tasty Treat For Your Ears

Post Death Soundtrack‘s fourth full-length release “Veil Lifter” is a tempestuous, 10-track Molotov cocktail channeling doom, grunge, hardcore, and thrash into a crushing new record. Following the orchestrated industrial soundscapes of their third album, “It Will Come Out of Nowhere,” Jon Ireson and Stephen Moore have taken a sharp turn to an unruly organic live sound.

Staying true to the reputation the Vancouver-based duo made for themselves, “Veil Lifter” is an incredible adventure that is as unpredictable as a carnie on crack. There are so many elements on this album and it’s so unexpected and all over the place that we almost feel grateful that the band has produced one of the year’s most interesting releases. To speak of inspirations and genres with this band, one would be remiss not to mention Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath, or Queens of The Stone Age, respectively quite a range of genres. Progressive rock, doom, classic rock, grunge, trash, and even avant-garde are in place, and the list can go on and on if you get nitpicky.

Thematically, “Veil Lifter” is provocative, incisive, and wholly uncensored. There is something of a spiritual weaponry in this work, a meditation on the underlying prevalence of mental illness within our collective psyche, a bold expression of terrifying realities, even a prayer of sorts.

As cliche as it might sound, this album truly has something for everyone. So come on, we have lots to discuss! Following a half-a-minute interlude, the album introduces us to a powerful riff-tastic world. ‘The Die Is Cast‘ transcends any logical response to my music listening because my soul and heart are gently swept up in the wind and the rain like never before. However, despite its many components, none of it seems forced, but every moment feels like a natural progression. The lyrics and vocals shine beautifully through, as we get into kickass guitar work with some jaw-dropping techniques. It’s only at the end of the track that you’re allowed to take a deep breath.

‘Killer of the Doubt‘ centers around the lyrics vibrating with vitalistic energies, and the riffs expertly navigate their way from one to the next. It is impossible to stop listening to this song as it is so natural yet powerful as to be unstoppable. Throughout the seven-minute track, the guitar and drums gradually build up energy, and when the band eventually thunders with anger and those screams endure, you are sure to be hooked.

‘Icy Underground‘ and ‘Arjuna’s Hunting Hand‘ bring something new to the table, some shoegaze hints, making for such an interesting ride. Better yet, these tracks serve to remind us of the level of skill required to accomplish something of this magnitude. The guitar and drum work is so incredible that it sounds like heavy Dream Theater. “Lowdown Animal” is a strong doom release, full of jaw-dropping, sublime lyricism and auditory imagery.

On ‘Tide Turns Red‘ the drums cascade like a waterfall and the guitar rumbles like a glacier. Every track combines a multitude of keys, intensity levels, and vocal styles-from raspy screeches and doom metal roars to superb cleans and subdued spoken word-into a brilliantly cohesive album. All of these elements are usually well-complemented by fantastic instrumentals that provide an additional layer of depth, and lastly, the band shows a clear understanding of how to put everything together. While ‘Burrowing Down the Spine‘ has an addictive guitar riff that gets stuck in your head, ‘Pin Prick’ has something of a punk vibe.

I’ve heard nine-minute songs that felt like a lifetime, but I was thoroughly captivated and never bored one bit by ‘Immovable.‘ The minutes flow in and out surprisingly well considering the vast genre coverage, the storyline, and the musical elements. Closer ‘Hammer Come Down‘ is a tour-de-force, where you’re swept up in the river that is Post Death Soundtrack.

In the end, Post Death Soundtrack manages to achieve exactly what it set out to do and then some. “Veil Lifter” is an absolute blast to listen to and will leave you coming back for more. Definitely worth the time to check out.