If These Trees Could Talk – “The Bones of a Dying World” [Album Review]

If These Trees Could Talk are at it again, this time with their third studio album, The Bones of a Dying World, in true existential ITTCT fashion. Produced by drummer Zach Kelly, The Bones of a Dying World has been four years in the making and the nuances of this release are intricate in their appeal. The guitar work is sweeping and disparate than previous albums, and guitarist Michael Socrates delves into the logistics behind this:

“Our lead guitar player [Cody Kelly] has a true ear for guitar melody over top of the groove. In a way, The Bones of a Dying World was definitely cut from the same cloth, but in a more progressive fashion. We feel this album steps up the sound in a way that could only come after Red Forest and not before. The songs were constructed in a much more deliberate and cautious approach. A lot of time was spent on small parts and transitions in order to maximize the full effect of the song as a whole. In a way, we feel like this is the perfect continuation from Red Forest. The dynamics and the flow just feel like a perfect next step to the story of us.”

Rather than the sequential and narrative-like track listing of Red Forest, The Bones of a Dying World progresses more fluidly, each track standing solidly on its own with deliberation. Depth and layers of sophisticated mixing expand and deflate in the ears; this album pulses with life and optimism. ITTCT have always generated power with their music, and this album is no different.

The release chimes and rejoices at times with tracks like “The Here and Hereafter”, while thundering and booming with commanding tracks like album opener “Solstice” and “Iron Glacier”. The sound is organic, raw in its emotion, with soft wailing guitar work woven through complex guitar riffs and calculated drums. The Bones of a Dying World is an apt example of 2016 progressive-rock music.

After Red Forest, this release emanates revival; a certain resurfacing from a long lost journey. In the words of Socrates, “… this album ‘steps up the sound’ in a way that could only come after Red Forest and not before. The songs were constructed in a much more deliberate and cautious approach.”

The Bones of a Dying World is exactly what you would expect from If These Trees Could Talk, and will appeal to those who appreciate continuity. Like every other ITTCT album, the overarching sound is left to subjective interpretation. Go on, plug in those headphones, and not the ones where only one side works, okay? Grab yourselves a fresh pair and tune in, because this album calls for it.

The Bones of a Dying World Track Listing:

01. Solstice
02. Swallowing Teeth
03. Earth Crawler
04. After the Smoke Clears
05. The Here and Hereafter
06. Iron Glacier
07. The Giving Tree
08. Berlin
09. One Sky Above Us

Run Time: 53 minutes
Release Date: June 3, 2016

Check out the song “Solstice”