The current wealth of the UK post-metal scene is quite staggering and every year something different and special comes along to top what had come before. 2025 looks to be another special year and first up is Scottish central belters (thanks Mogwai), Beneath A Steel Sky. A lockdown project between long time friends has had a bit of a member rotation and some fresh emphasis for the debut album Cleave. It contains seven tracks of beautifully atmospheric post-metal which has both the ability to soothe and comfort, as well as expel any lingering demons from monumental heaviness.
I have rambled many times about the early days of post-metal where every band just tried to play Oceanic through crappier and crappier amps. Currently the scene has plenty vastly evolved with bands who manage to carve out their own sound without treading on too many toes. Beneath A Steel Sky is most certainly post-metal but finding a direct comparison isn’t an easy task. Overall there is maybe a laid back atmosphere which could line up with People Used to Live Here era Spook The Horses but Cleave has more heaviness than that. From the shimmering openings of ‘The Sky Above The Port Was The Colour of Television, Tuned To A Dead Channel’ the drenching reverb and beautiful tones bring back memories of Oceansize at their most alluring and sonically calm. When you fly into the second track ‘Vanguard’ hints of modern Rosetta appear and the grasp on melody, weight and the balance of light and dark is achingly perfect. I have never managed to sink into the new Rosetta as much as I have with Cleave, if you know how much I love Roestta you will know there isn’t much higher praise I can give.
The album really nails the foreboding sense of melancholia as well as release. Closing track ‘The Becoming’ handles all of these feelings perfectly as it allows itself to flow along the atmospheric roots of post-rock before exploding with the masterfully emotive vocals of Greg Armstrong. Every time I listen to this album I come away with a different track that’s my favourite, but ‘Everyone You’ve Ever Known’, which is a survivor from the first release, has been at the top the most for me.
Beneath A Steel Sky has crafted a simply perfect album with Cleave. The majesty of it sits in the balance of weight, it is calm enough that I have used it to fall asleep yet heavy enough that I can blast it during the day and lose myself headbanging along. It is profoundly moving yet heavy and so richly recorded and mastered. If you are a fan of post-rock or post-metal you will really want to spend some time with this one.
