Establishing the mood with a subversive bass energy, a bold, industrial synth, bold drums and choral vocalizations, Mountains of Heaven opens Mountains of Heaven 1 with the dramatic introductory track Awe, which sets the tone with exactly that sentiment, awe.
Next up is All Light which expands with a high-octane guitar performance, and a cohesive yet cerebral soundscape which feels meditative. The energy expands with textured drums and an art-rock vibe, with experimental nuances as the sound pulls and draws us back in.
Brilliant Massive Stones opens with a static guitar energy, almost 8-bit in its manifestation – like the score to a video game or 80s b-movie. The driving energy remains consistent, and we are captivated by the overarching sentiment that comes to life.
This leads us to Music and Laughing which taps into a more peaceful rock frequency, with panning nuances, a sublime mix and an astral energy. It is lighter than its predecessors and more melodic in its expression.
Armor feels like a scene from the movie Blade, whilst chasm feels experimental to its core – immersive and jarring to some extent, creating drama and intrigue. We appreciate the intricacy of the build though, and the stadium-ready energy that comes to life.
Timeless Shapeless is cinematic and perfect for the score to a movie like Limitless or Trainspotting with its energetic vibes. Banquet serves as the final track of the first half of the record, opening with a peaceful guitar energy reminding us of 90s grunge. It is also the longest track on the record. The build taps into notions of psychedelia, once again showing us the versatility of Mountains of Heaven as an artist and project. The build is incredible, full of emotion and slow burn, and the pay-off is transcendental.
We learn that Mountains of Heaven , is the brainchild of Rick Guistolise, and serves as his multi-instrumental debut. The artist cites influences including Godspeed You Black Emperor, Sonic Youth, La Monte Young, My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Led Zeppelin, Ministry and Explosions in the Sky, but there is no doubt that he is manifesting a post-rock sonic universe of his own.
Now let’s get into Mountains of Heaven 2, which kicks off with the energetic track Of SOUND – it is fun, playful and psychedelic, like the opening sequence to a movie. We appreciate the dimensionality and the dynamism, as well as the intricacy that is demonstrated with Rick Guistolise guitar skills. The cerebral build is dope, and the sonic switch ups remind us of movies like Lucy, or even The Matrix series.
Lost is the next track which kicks off with drum rolls, static guitar and electric riffs that build into a high-octane vibe, perfect for driving or running to! Rats In The Wall taps into a more cerebral energy, and what we realise is the core of Rick Guistolise artistry is rooted in not only originality, but a sense of creating unique frequencies that are also timeless in their expression.
Machinery is darker and more club friendly at first, the entire record feels like the score for a movie with different scenes being brought to life with each track. Pink Bass Happening opens with drama and static details, evolving with a pristine drums performance. The rolling nature with pull outs again alludes to a cinematic appeal. It’s extremely dynamic and there is no doubt that this drums performance is awe inspiring, perhaps the most mind bending on the record – the finale taps into goth tendencies which is super interesting and the first time we experience this across both albums.
Next is Let’s Have Some Life, eh? which is vibrant and dynamic, and we learn from Rick that “none of the songs were written prior to their recordings. All songs were constructed live and in real-time during the recording phase. This allowed for maximum creativity…”. This actually explains a lot and how the authenticity that transmutes with the record is second to none.
Rick adds, “The spontaneous nature of the recording, to create songs and sounds that hit the spot consistently, resulted in unique arrangements and a freedom that produced unbelievable results.”
Imperilous is brash and melodic at the same time – highly experimental with sonic ebbs and flows that keep us enthralled throughout, leading us through to the finale, Saudade, which again serves as the longest song on the second half of the album. Alarming at first, expanding with melodic flair to tap into more classical notions, rolling drums and fierce electric guitar performance with an outstanding build that truly sends us to another dimension. The drama reminds us of early System of a Down and comes to life as an epic conclusion to the two-part record.
We have added Music and Laughing to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist!