Chalice Hymnal
is the first proper full-length from
Grails
since 2011's remarkable
Deep Politics
, although a second collection of their exploratory
Black Tar Prophecies
EP series arrived in between. As with every
album, the group continues to push its sound further, incorporating new influences, instruments, and production techniques. As cliched as the genre name "post-rock" has become, the musical progression of the
catalog embodies the term perfectly, as the band has continually moved far beyond convention into something truly unique and indefinable.
easily seems like their least "rock" album yet; while they haven't entirely abandoned blazing psych-rock guitars (just check the sludgy yet funky "New Prague"), they're certainly less present here, and many of the guitars that appear are acoustic. There's a much greater presence of electronics and dark, nearly trip-hop grooves on this album, especially on "Tough Guy." It almost seems like
could be billed as a joint release between
and
Lilacs & Champagne
, the sample-heavy instrumental hip-hop side project formed by
members
Alex John Hall
Emil Amos
. One of
L&C
's other members,
Ash Black Bufflo
, contributes percolating synthesizers to the album's second track, "Pelham," suggesting
Giorgio Moroder
as a possible influence along with soundtrack composers such as
Ennio Morricone
Hugo Montenegro
. The acoustic instrumentation throughout the album is lush and engrossing, with several tracks augmented by majestic string arrangements courtesy of
Timba Harris
, and dusky saxophone from
Niklas Kraft
or
Daniel Fisher-Lochhead
. Some of the album's pieces are sequels to selections from
' previous album. "Deeper Politics" is, appropriately enough, more tense than the prior release's title track, and while it seems gray and rainy at first, its resplendent strings ultimately signal hope for a glorious rebirth. "Deep Snow II," however, bends
' knotty yet dreamy finale into something significantly more distraught. In the midst of all of this, the group finds time for a slow jam, "Rebecca," which buries "In the Air Tonight"-esque drum machine pulsations with sunset-like guitar wisps and serene synth pads. "The Moth & the Flame" is even more ethereal, with forests of echo surrounding smooth fretless bass and saxophone, before
David Axelrod
-worthy cavernous drums boom in during the track's second half. All of this culminates in the ten-minute "After the Funeral," which features perhaps the most grandiose arrangement of
' entire career. Not only is
well worth the wait, it makes it even harder to choose which album is the pinnacle of
' ever-fascinating discography. ~ Paul Simpson