Thee Silver Mt. Zion

No matter what permutation of its name it goes by whenever it tours, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra remains one of the strongest examples of stylized post-rock around. 15-minute epics, loud-soft dynamism, slow chords building toward orchestral crash and resolution—all figure into the group’s albums, although the running times are kept somewhat shorter on 2010’s Kollaps Tradixionales. It’s also the first album with new drummer David Payant, who brings a patient, theatrical swagger to songs that take their own damn time to unspool. There’s also a renewed emphasis on drawled lyrics, which further sets this Godspeed You! Black Emperor spin-off apart from most of the acts that band has inspired. 

Updated 01/18/2012