This Will Destroy You Range From Minimal To Theatrical With Instrumental ‘New Others Part Two’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

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It had been four years since the experimental instrumental rock band This Will Destroy You released new music and in late September they dropped New Others Part One. Then surprisingly the band released New Others Part Two just weeks later with no fanfare. The unexpected follow-up continues the groups sound and style ranging from minimal to theatrical.

Founding duel guitarists Jeremy Galindo and Christopher King with the addition of bassist Jesse Kees and drummer Robi Gonzalez teamed up with Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (St. Vincent) for New Others Part Two as the band continues to warp their collective sound waves.  Propulsive opener “Sound Of Your Death” runs quickly, galloping as the most upbeat offering on the record, before ending with guitar loops mimicking flute work, ending softly. Follow up “Lie Down In The Light” is more of a mood piece of blowing noise and movement; the band sets themselves apart in this genre by not always going for the grand climaxes like other proponents of this rock instrumental style/sound.  

Even on the more dramatic of the tracks offered up on New Others Part Two, like the almost nine-minute “Clubs” album centerpiece, the mood is more reserved. Sure there are huge, loud passages but things never seem self-indulgent, more searching. There is certainly darkness around the band’s edges and their self-proclaimed “doom gaze” style can best be represented on the long and winding eleven and half minute journey of “Provoke” which ends the record. The four-minute plus mellow intro becomes overwhelmed by huge crashing drums and dark bass fills, before twinkling and off-kilter bleeps lead to a shimmering finale.

“Jessie Ray” starts by messing with more knobs and digital bleeps but grows and swells with grace while “Cascade” uses a solid bass foundation to shine in pretty fashion with ringing riffs. The noise rock excursion “New Promised Land Inc.” is more noise filler than mastery but the static and feedback doesn’t stick around too long.

This Will Destroy You recently toured with the evolving Deafheaven and that tag team is powerful as both bands blend layers of sound and distortion with metallic forays creating cinematic/dynamic sonic palettes to work from. While much less aggressive, This Will Destroy You is more than just background noise, New Others Part Two is a restrained journey through contemplative layers of sound.  

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