GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT - All is Violent, All is Bright

Artist: GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT
Album: All is Violent, All is Bright
Year: 2005
Genre: Post - Rock,Instrumental,Experimental

God is an Astronaut is a three man army that make "heavenly" instrumental post-rock witch consists of the usual guitar/ bass/ drums sound, but adding to it synth effects to their sound and I mean a lot of synth effects witch is the main attraction in their sound.All Is Violent, All Is Bright is the second studio album by this Irish post-rock band released in 2005.Their songs are very catchy and rather short (only two song pass the 5 minute mark) making their sound accessible and easy to digest for normal mainstream listeners and prog heads without the need of extra patience most bands of the genre require. Their sound is energetic and very melodic with the center of attention being shared with the guitar or the piano. Thanks to the synth effects and lovely piano work they make you feel like you're flying above the clouds and enjoying the view and feeling the breeze, but then all of the beauty stops and the energy in their sound start to show off with bombastic playing by the members of the band will still having that melodic edge and that's when you hit the ground hard, but instead of feeling painful it's really fun and enjoyable and you just want to do it again. Not all of the songs in the album follow the crescendo formula Godspeed uses and that's a good thing. Highlights of the album are "All is Violent, all is Bright" (great and fierce drumming near the end), the beautiful "Forever Lost" and the dynamic "Suicide by Star". The rest of the song follow closely behind this ones. So the album has a nice balance and there aren't bad songs.
This is a very accessible album and have a mainstream feel to it, but don't let that keep you from enjoying them. The drawback of the album is that the magic wears off after repeated listening. The effects won't sound as ear blowing as the first times and that's when the album settles. I don't think that it would be an excellent addition to any prog collection, but it is an excellent addition to any post-rock collection. So if you're into the genre or just starting out, go and get All is Violent, all is Bright. It'll win your heart from the first listen.