The Godspeed and Silver Mt. Zion comparisons are inevitable, of course. Not that that is inherently a bad thing, and there definitely is inspiration both direct and indirect littered across the tracks(both parts of “Entropy” being one example). But “Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More” is, for the most part, able to stand enough on its own to end up as a wonderful ride straddling the line between chamber music and post-rock. Across the record we hear strings patiently build upon one another in winding, meditative patterns, with percussion entering on a few occasions and sometimes even working into slow, steady grooves(2,5,9). Other tracks are even less immediate, showing off harmonies that quietly hum under flickering electronics, while others include picked electric guitars that push the intensity up ever so slightly. Though the inclusion of a drum kit tended to be a little hit-or-miss, pushing it a bit too far into “crescendo-core” at times, the music is gorgeous, and displaying an unexpected amount of variety both in composition and instrumentation. The Kronos Quartet and Glass are definite draws for the group, but the use of electronics on the more ambient tracks(3) took me by very pleasant surprise. The last track almost reminds me of later Unwound, which is always awesome to hear. This might come off as stale or tame to some in comparison to GY!BE or SMZ but if there’s gold in here if you dig to find it!Everything Was Forever Until It Was No More” by Esmerine on Constellation