The Sentinel CD

Aerial are back from Sweden with a second album of perfectly executed post-rock expeditions that rise above the majority of similar bands around today. They are four people who live and breathe crushing dual-guitar melodies and emotionally-crippling structures, inhabiting a middle ground somewhere between Explosions In The Sky and an angrier Death Cab For Cutie. The poignant impact of both bands is matched and outdone here as Aerial take you through nine tracks which seem more like fierce declarations of youth than just a bunch of songs, playing each as if it were there last. The intensity of Aerial's live show is perfectly captured here, allowing you to relive the energy and veracity of their performances from the safety of your home. When lyrics emerge from the wall of noise that this four-piece create, they add a melancholic overtone to the exhilarated and expertly performed examples of everything that is good about post-rock (and music in general) at the moment. You cannot help but enjoy the ride of "The Sentinel", and despite feeling somewhat exhausted upon first listen, you know there is no other logical option except to press play and relive it all over again.