Mountain Caller – Chronicle II: Hypergenesis (Review)

This is the second album from UK progressive/post-metal band Mountain Caller.

Chronicle II: Hypergenesis is (mostly) instrumental, which is normally a style I avoid, although I’m not really sure why. Mountain Caller know what they’re doing though, and their appealing sound pulled me right in.

Mountain Caller’s music is colourful and well-crafted, with engaging riffs, expressive melodies, and a bass that can actually be heard and appreciated. It’s a progressive post-metal mix, (with a hint of stoner), that’s easily enjoyable, delivering a series of six heavy tunes with enough texture, variety of ideas, and emotional depth to hold the listener’s attention throughout. The songs have many assets to their names, including a good repertoire of riffs and an ability to conjure atmospheric feeling out of relatively straightforward ingredients.

I like the sound that the album has. It’s warm and welcoming, while also being heavy and firmly constructed. The instruments feel solid and near-tangible. The guitars have a satisfying crunch to them, the drums are organic and weighty, and the bass is notable by its unusually well-delivered presence. Additionally, I mentioned above that this is mostly instrumental; Dead Language contains vocals, and these sound clear and full of feeling. The singer’s voice is evocative and charismatic, and her voice is captivating after the two preceding instrumental tracks. (There are also some brief backing vocalisations at the end of the closing title track).

Falling somewhere between Russian Circles, Din of Celestial Birds, Hemelbestormer, and Pelican, Chronicle II: Hypergenesis is an easy album to recommend for fans of those and similar acts. However, Mountain Caller have their own personality, and even if you’re not into those, then Chronicle II: Hypergenesis is still more than worth checking out.

Very highly recommended.