THE EARTH IS NOT A COLD DEAD PLACE

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY should be commended on their ability to create compelling, emotional, and powerful post-rock music without relying on the cliches that plague the genre. Listening to The Earth is Not A Cold Dead Place is a great pleasure because the album contains the same beauty and feelings conveyed by other bands in the genre, but not the standard characteristics you'd expect. There are no droning bass tones, no electronic voice samples, and nobody playing their guitar with a bow, and that's a very pleasant change in a genre filled with unoriginal copycat bands. This is simply amazing guitar-driven instrumental music that anyone with an ear for beauty and passion should listen to immediately.

The album only contains five songs, but they're all around 10 minutes in length. This may sound like it would get a bit monotonous, but it doesn't, thanks to the band's great compositional skills. The mood changes throughout the record are fantastic, and the music never feels boring or forced. Each song is a new experience, and as a result, no one song stands out above the others as the best. If I had to pick a personal favourite, it would be "First Breath After Coma," but these are all masterpieces.

With The Earth is Not A Cold Dead Place, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY prove just how great guitar-based music can sound. Listening to the depth of these songs, it's hard to believe that this band is only a four-piece. Great work from everyone involved, and a great sign for the future of both the band and the genre. Get this album as soon as you can.