RLYR – “Artificial Horizons”

Michael Vallera

RLYR – “Artificial Horizons”

Michael Vallera

Blogging about RLYR usually involves stacking up their credentials because the trio’s collective C.V. is something special: Steven Hess has played in Locrian and Cleared, Colin DeKuiper in Bloodiest and (once upon a time) Russian Circles), Trevor Shelley de Brauw in Pelican and Chord. As you might expect based on that heritage, the music they come up with together is noteworthy, too.

The band presents a straightforward yet inventive take on heavy post-rock, their riff-driven compositions relying on repetition to lull you into a trance before shifting the surface beneath you without warning. It worked wonders on “L.Layer,” the lead single from their upcoming album Actual Existence, and it works again on today’s seven-minute follow-up “Artificial Horizons.”

In a statement, de Brauw describes the tune as “stoner prog pop,” crediting High On Fire’s Matt Pike for its musical inspiration:

This one uses a scale that Matt Pike taught me when Pelican and High On Fire toured together in 2007. He’s been directly responsible for decades of stoner metal greatness, but this is the first time he’s been (indirectly) responsible for a stoner prog pop song.

Listen below.

Actual Existence is out 4/13 on The Flenser. Pre-order it here.

more from New Music