Review: Beneath A Steel Sky ‘Cleave’
There is something that feels somewhat familiar about Beneath A Steel Sky. Possibly it’s proximity to Hundred Year Old Man and Codespeaker, or it may well be the astounding quality of musicianship that’s akin to several of their peers, including Cult Of Luna and The Ocean, which give this an air of heritage, but either way, they have a real hook that resonates deep inside.
2024 saw me falling deeper than before into this post-rock/post-metal genre of bands, and as the year ended, I was lucky enough to witness HYOM and Codespeaker perform live in London, which for me, firmly sealed my interest in the sound. Since then, I’ve been setting my sights on like-minded bands, and after a couple of weeks of listening to Cleave on repeat, it’s now finally time to share with you my thoughts.
Cleave is Beneath A Steel Sky’s debut album, and after floating a couple of tracks tantalisingly online over the past couple of months, the seven track opus is finally upon us to enjoy. Now, this is where things get all exciting, as unlike the other bands in the whole post-rock/metal scene, what Beneath A Steel Sky do is take the darker, more abrasive elements, and hold them until it is utterly necessary on each track.
A lot of the time there is a real ‘softer, heavier, breakdown, repeat’ structure to a lot of the post-rock sound, whereas here it is different. Each track opens out with subdued, and at times singular instrumentation, and it’s as each track builds that things start to increase in intensity. This is not just your average post-rock fayre, this is a darker, deeper ride, which is utterly engaging, and will have you invested from the opening seconds to the dying climaxes, time and time again.
Across the whole album, it is impossible for me to single out any specific highlights as there is no actual lull in proceedings as quieter moments are as equally engaging as the more abrasive highs. For me, this is where the future lies with this movement of heavy music, and just like the impression Codespeaker left on me last year, Beneath A Steel Sky have not only equalled that benchmark but have pushed through and elevated the standard further.
To put it bluntly, if you are looking for a real lesson in intensity and unabashed post-rock legitimacy, then this band should be the one you will be stepping towards with open arms.
Right from the initial seconds of album opener, The Sky Above The Port Was The Colour Of Television, Tuned To A Dead Channel it is evident that the band are taking no prisoners. The slow moody start, the pensive guitars apprehensively guiding us into the realms of the band’s darkness are truly majestic. As the track progresses the other factors of the band entwine, and without any warning, the tone swiftly kicks into a morose wonderland. Once the scathing vocal drifts in to complete the unit, it drifts off, ready for track two, Vanguard, to take over.
the band take their time to slowly build and show their understanding of timing and patience, before unleashing a face-melting eruption…
This time its straight in, no build ups, before it drifts back down to a doomy soundscape that is somewhat apocalyptic in texture. It is here where we get our first real glimpse of what the band are capable of, and over the course of the six minutes, what transpires is a truly gut-wrenching aural experience.
With Everyone You’ve Ever Known, track three, the majesty of the band is finally fully realised, and it’s here where the defining moment really is for a snapshot of the band. If you want a perfect overview of what to expect, just type this into the streaming platforms and prepare to have your mind blown. With this track, the band take their time to slowly build and show their understanding of timing and patience, before unleashing a face-melting eruption, which will have you returning repeatedly. Be warned, this needs to be played loud with no exceptions.
Following on from this, Quetzalcoatlus is the perfect companion and drops us back into a false sense of security, before unleashing hell. It’s on this moody piece where I notice those HYOM and Codespeaker comparisons the most, the shear brutality of its climax is crushing.
The Infinite Silence That Follows The Absolute Truth pulls things back to a dark ambience, with its atmospheric lone guitar led structure, before unleashing hell once again. The same is somewhat apparent on Cyclical Dunt, where it all slides into a dusky haze. It’s somewhat of a false sense of security, as in reality, it’s just lining us up for one final onslaught with the closing track The Becoming.
By the time it rolls around, all that is left really is a final hurrah, and that is exactly what the band gives us. A darkly moody opening entices in what feels like a timeless experience, nothing feels urgent and it calmy guides us along. As the climax approaches, things change, and one final explosion pushes us to its end.
Coming away from the experience, I would suggest getting on to Beneath A Steel Sky as quickly as you can, there’s something so fundamentally great about them and to not pursue this venture would be a travesty.
Label: Ripcord Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
