Good luck! Black Emperor – “NO TITLE AS OF FEBRUARY 13, 2024 28,340 DEAD”

by Caleb Doyle (@ClassicDoyle)

Good luck! Black Emperor deals with the scoring of films in the post-rock style, whereby the films take place in real life and the scenes are as tragic as they are triumphant. Since the late 90s, GY!BE have been experimental pioneers of anti-establishment protest rock. 2002s Yanqui UXO is a direct response to post-9/11 aggression that draws a clear line between record companies and military spending. 2021 God’s pee at State’s End! imagines a violent restructuring of society in the wake of a global pandemic. They made each of these bold statements with little more than strong instrumentals and field recordings. How does a band write protest music without lyrics? Sparse liner notes and the extremely rare interview aside, they do so with deep sonic intent and song titles that don’t mince words.

On their eighth and latest studio album “NO TITLE AS OF FEBRUARY 13, 2024, 28,340 DEATHS”The leaderless Canadian collective has all eyes and ears on Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been crushed by the Israeli government’s relentless bombings for nearly a year. The title itself refers to the estimated death toll at the time, which has since more than doubled. The album begins with feedback reminiscent of the whirring propellers of a fighter jet. The shrill noises morph into a distorted, mournful dirge entitled “SUN IS A HOLE SUN IS VAPORS,” led by shuffling percussions and thumping noodles. GY!BE immediately sets the tone with a track that is both beautiful and menacing – a balance they find across all six tracks. It is an awakening to what is to come.

The core of the album consists of the following two tracks: “BABYS IN A THUNDERCLOUD” and “RAINDROPS CAST IN LEAD”. The former begins with more feedback manipulation, reminding us once again of the bloody atrocities that lie ahead – distant explosions and wailing sirens. The track then takes on a springy momentum and takes a triumphant post-rock step midway through, a glimmer of hope in the chaos. GY!BE settles into their signature gigantic wall of sound, trading melodic riffs as the drums progress. The final third is a sad reflection on the devastation that preceded it. A plaintive string section reminds us of the gravity of the situation. Read the title again. It’s real.

“RAINDROPS…” begins calmly and thoughtfully, perhaps a brief respite from the violent energy of the previous track. It quickly settles into an upbeat groove with violins dancing on a repeating guitar riff and big, bouncy drums. Although the subject matter is very serious, this title feels gripping and triumphant for the most part. It’s one of the most accessible post-rock albums Godspeed You! Black Emperor ever recorded and it reminds you of their abilities as atmospheric powerhouses. In future titles we will look back and wish with all our hearts for this escape from the threat.

“BROKEN SPIERS AT DEAD KAPITAL” and “PALE SPECTATOR TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS” form a strong contrast to the tracks before. With pure, distilled sadness and doom, the music grounds us and we remember what it’s all about. “BROKEN SPIRES…” is a relatively short interlude based on a string performance from the heart of a spooky horror film. It’s disturbing. It segues seamlessly into “PALE SPECTATOR…”, a nightmare depicted in sound. With a constant pounding drum reminiscent of the opening of Audioslave’s “Cochise,” every movement on this track is harrowing and deeply moving. Guitars and strings collide in the film’s climactic cacophony that sends the heartbeat soaring. There is no hiding from the power of this composition and it contextualizes the ever-unfolding horror in Gaza.

Finally, perhaps as a sign of an evolved philosophy, we are left with a strong dose of beauty on “GREY RUBBLE – GREEN SHOOTS”. If there is a way, through the destruction, through the aggression, to bring our deeply fractured world to the other side of this atrocity, there may be a chance for healing and hope. “Every day a new war crime, every day a flower blooms… war is coming. Do not give up. Choose a side. Wait. Love.” it says in the liner notes.

“NO TITLE AS OF FEBRUARY 13, 2024, 28,340 DEATHS” is both a documentation of unspeakable evil and a plea for peace and love. She doesn’t hesitate to speak truth to power, without words. Sonically, it’s as effective a post-rock masterpiece as anything else. Godspeed You! Black Emperor recorded. As always, we can only hope that the next album is recorded and released in a better world.