All the Empires of the World return with a work of staggering ambition and scope. Taking their familiar desert-doom vibe and supplementing it with some furious chug, a drum machine borrowed from Streetcleaner-era Godflesh and blackened vocals, Return oscillates between extremes of tenderness and brutality. It’s the mark of a band supremely confident in their abilities who remain eager to stake out new territory.

With an atmosphere of surreal violence that flirts with the sublime it brings to mind the films of Jodorowsky and the darker moments of Iain M. Banks’ novels, whilst musical comparisons can be drawn with Cult of Luna, Grails, Pelican and – in its quieter moments – Six Organs of Admittance. We know of few bands who push at generic conventions so compellingly and are overwhelmingly proud to be releasing this to the world.

Must be listened to loud.

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Blessings is the first full length release from All The Empires of the World. It’s an album of immense magnitude; seven bombastic paens to the affect of all things grand. It revels in that glorious sense of liberty which comes when you realise your pathetic inconsequence in the grand scheme of things- the terror and awe we feel in the face of the sublime.

Where so many albums of this type get bogged down repeating tired tropes, Blessings retains its power throughout. Melodies are bold and memorable whilst dynamics go far beyond the cliches of quiet/loud, with a subtly inventive handling of crescendos and intelligent deployment of that sadly underused technique in so much rock music: silence. There are surprises aplenty too- [I Perceive Your Resonance] is a genuinely poignant song and features desperate, imploring vocals from guitarist Mark Thomas, whilst Asleep at the Temple proves ATEOTW can up the tempo with an astonishing blitzkrieg of black metal drumming. Closer The Prophet Part II, meanwhile, revolves around an almost folky melody which seems to float by on the winds.

See also: Manatees, Slowdive, Pelican, Explosions in the Sky, Jesu, Cult of Luna, Red Sparowes.

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This record is strictly undefinable. While reference points can be given – ritualistic noise, colossal riffs, beautiful evocations, hazy delayed guitar, pealing chords, remote vocals, tension, release, eruption, heaviness, light – it is the careful combination of these elements that makes it a rare joy.

Mark tells us that:

This record is a testament to finding the best in everything – it was influenced by my brother and two sisters and their complex and wonderful lives. Denial of the spirit is denial of the self.

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