Behold

Juxtaposing brutal waves of sound with serene contemplative passages, My Epic achieve an otherworldly grandeur on their third album, Behold. There’s a cathedral-like loftiness to many of its tracks, undergirded by Aaron Stone’s monolithic guitar lines and the anchoring rhythms of bassist Jeremiah Austin and drummer Matt Doran. Behold shows an increased post-rock influence, evident in the minimalist arrangements and extended length of tracks like “Confession” and “Lament.” The album’s cinematic sweep is used to convey a worshipful message. Stone’s high tenor vocals humanize the music's sometimes-austere textures, leading listeners through dreamily ambient soundscapes (“Arise”), dramatic Pink Floyd-esque ballads (“Royal”), and luminous, delicately wrought passages (“Zion”). From the upbeat rush of “Curse” to the brooding testimony of “Selah,” My Epic explore nuances within their approach while sustaining a sense of spiritual drama. The closing track, “Arrive,” celebrates the Second Coming with rumbling percussion and seething guitar washes that suggest Ennio Morricone’s Western film soundtracks.