Written by Cecil Mitchell
The elusive Canadian band Godspeed You! Black Emperor has been churning out classic after classic for nearly thirty years, save for a seven-year hiatus from 2003 to 2010, successfully delivering a fresh take on their unique flavor of post-rock every single time. From the desolate pessimism of their debut F#A#∞ to the frenetic urgency of 2024’s “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 28,340 DEAD”, Godspeed has evolved in a way many of their contemporaries cannot match. However, the group’s one constant is their outspokenness, and NO TITLE is no exception. A fitting soundtrack for a divided world and uncertain future, NO TITLE offers insight that acknowledges the tattered state we find ourselves in but offers a hint of hope for a better future.
The first track on the record, “SUN IS A HOLE SUN IS VAPORS”, is a classic Godspeed slow-burn. Ambient noises quietly fill headphones and speakers, preparing us for the snowballing speech of a fuzzy guitar. Throughout the 51⁄2-minute runtime, lush instrumentation slowly begins permeating the soundscape, preparing us for the next 50 minutes of instrumental bliss. “SUN IS A HOLE” offers a somewhat optimistic sound, perhaps misleading when considering what’s to come.
The following tune, “BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD”, is the obvious standout of the album. It’s a track that builds you up and breaks you down upon the climax, only to build you up again and devastate you a second time. The lead guitar and strings weave in and out of each other, creating a melodic line that pleads for something intangible. The percussion is driving, maintaining a steady yet barraging pace. On a personal level, this song deeply affects me. It fills me with a deep melancholic feeling that seems impossible to shake once the song ends. “BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD” ripples throughout the rest of the album, an unforgettable piece that haunts the listener.
“RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD”, the next song on the record, follows the same formula found in the preceding tracks. It slowly amps up, breaks down, amps up once more, and breaks down again. It’s the one track on the record that seems to overstay its welcome, offering relatively little to listeners when considering the 13 minutes it plays. Interestingly, about six minutes in, a spoken word sample in a foreign language becomes a part of the soundscape. The sample lasts for less than a minute and, when translated, provides commentary on war. “RAINDROPS” is not a skip by any means; it fits into a clear overarching narrative suggested by both the titles of the album and the six tracks. It’s imperative to listen for that reason. I will say that it DOES feel more hopeful than “BABYS”, but it reads more as a call to action when comparing it to “SUN IS A HOLE.” It tells us to maintain strength and composure, to continue pushing for what we believe in.
Succeeding “RAINDROPS” is “BROKEN SPIRES AT DEAD KAPITAL”. It is a brief interlude, clocking in at just over 3 1⁄2 minutes. There isn’t much to say about this one due to its simplicity, but it is still quite beautiful. It’s primarily a string piece, with a smidge of percussion at the very end of the song. It serves as an introductory track to the next song, their respective endings and beginnings bleeding into each other flawlessly. I didn’t even notice it was the next song when I first listened!
The penultimate track, “PALE SPECTATOR TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS”, continues the build-up of the “BROKEN SPIRES”. Percussion is slowly added into the mix, and when the droning guitar begins to work its way to the forefront you know you’re in for that classic blood-curdling feeling Godspeed is known for. The drums are a simple grounding force for the beginning of the tune, consisting largely of toms and a very quiet hi-hat. Halfway through the song, they begin applying pressure, adding a well-rounded drum selection and anxiety-inducing guitar riffs. You’d expect an explosion after such an escalation, but the band instead opts to present a calmer, more melodic bridge. The eye of the hurricane. Don’t get too comfortable though, this break doesn’t last long. After one minute, we are thrust back into the sense of panic previously imposed on the listener. The unique characteristic of this song is that there is no real climax, as it just sort of fades away as time goes on. While it isn’t quite as exciting, it does relieve some of the emotional turmoil experienced during the preceding 11 minutes.
The final track was, interestingly, the only single released for this record and the introduction to a new era of Godspeed. “GREY RUBBLE – GREEN SHOOTS” was a great choice for this since it does a fantastic job at encapsulating the sound of the album as a whole in an easily digestible runtime of about 7 minutes (it feels wrong to say that, but remember that “Providence” off F#A#∞ is 29 minutes long). It energetically works its way toward the ultimately satisfying climax, featuring guitars and a string section melodically intertwining to produce a feeling of what I’d call “melancholy hope”. Godspeed are telling us that it’s not over. Regardless of the absolute devastation experienced in the last hour, something continues to ground us in the physical realm. The latter half of the tune slows down, reminding us there is no light without the dark. There is still much work to be done
If I had to define “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 28,340 DEAD” in one word, it would be “creation”. The destruction and division we see around us may lead us to believe there is nothing to look forward to, but this record reminds us that the struggle is not in vain. We can still build something meaningful amidst it all. In listening and re-listening and re-listening and so on and so forth for the preparation of this review, I’ve built such a deep emotional connection to this album. At times it makes me want to sit and cry, yet at others, it motivates me to do better for the sake of the world around me. There’s no point in losing hope and remaining complacent. If you asked me previously what I thought about this album, I’d say “It was great, GY!BE never misses but I don’t see myself coming back to it often.” Man, I’m so glad I came back to it. There is more to discover each time. Sure, it may not reach the highs of the 87-minute epic Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven, but it doesn’t need to. That isn’t what listeners need right now. The band came back to us at the perfect time, and I cannot thank them enough. The way they can build a direct emotional connection with the listener is unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. With all of that being said, I’ve come to realize that there is no band like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and I’m not sure there ever will be.
Favorite Track: “BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD” (I pray they play this one live) Rating: 9/10