Like olives, instrumental rock is an acquired taste. A taste that Texan’s, This Will Destroy You, indulge in on a frequent basis and on their third record, ‘Another Language,’ they aim to say it best, when they say nothing at all.
For those inexperienced to music without words, opener New Topia eases you in gently with a delicate guitar line weaving through the air, before crashing down in a wave of electronics and destructive drumming, creating a tsunami of sound that’ll leave you dazed and confused.
The peaks and valleys that This Will Destroy you create is truly something to behold, as Serpent Mounds vast ambience builds a tetris tension wall of no hope, then, at the last second finds the right combination of noise to knock it down in true Rocky Balboa style.
‘Another Language’ is a beacon of hope, rising from the shadows which were cast over 2011’s ‘Tunnel Blanket’ and banishing them back into the darkness of the underworld. Although their previous effort was more diverse in sound this nine-track album has more ambition but the quartet aren’t consistent enough.
The dynamics that War Prayer offer are breathtaking at times, but at just over seven and half minutes in length fail to deliver on any early promise it hinted at, while the shortest track on the record, The Puritan’s cinematic sound speaks out and wrings all emotion out of the heart.
Mother Opiate drifts by with the speed of a sloth while the militaristic beat of Invitation sets the tone and finally deviates from the norm. Atmospheric, sun drenched radiance pours out of this glorious track, questioning why it took so long.
Huffing and puffing, and blowing the house down, Memory Loss follows with a thunderstorm of blistering guitars and drums that collide, This Will Destroy You will have you taking cover behind the sofa in fear.
Just like trying to converse with someone whose native tongue is another language, This Will Destroy You at times will frustrate you. However, when you do make the breakthrough and it clicks, ‘Another Language’ does leave you with a sense of satisfaction.
