BLACKSHAPE is a Salt Lake City-based instrumental collective that occupies the fertile ground between post-rock, math rock, and post-metal. Their sound identity is defined by a 'maximalist' philosophy, characterized by dense layering and a continuous-loop approach to songwriting.
Working with producer Matt Goldman, they have refined a sonic signature that combines the technical volatility of mathcore with the emotional sweep of cinematic rock. Unlike the 'quiet-loud' tropes of 2000s post-rock, their work maintains a high level of rhythmic activity and harmonic density throughout. Their 2021 self-titled debut established them as a significant voice in the modern instrumental scene, earning comparisons to Russian Circles for their weight and Holy Fawn for their atmospheric depth. Critically, they are noted for their ability to maintain a narrative arc without the use of vocals, relying instead on polyrhythmic interplay and tectonic shifts in volume. They represent a shift in the genre toward higher technical proficiency and more integrated, album-length conceptual structures.
Shares post-rock, math rock, post-metal (subgenres); instrumental_only (vocal style)
Shares post-rock, math rock, post-metal (subgenres); instrumental_only (vocal style)
Shares post-rock, math rock, progressive rock (subgenres); instrumental_only (vocal style)
Shares intense, contemplative, restless (moods); post-rock, post-metal, progressive rock (subgenres)
Shares post-rock, math rock, progressive rock (subgenres); instrumental_only (vocal style)
Shares post-rock, math rock, post-metal (subgenres); intense, contemplative, restless (moods)
Shares instrumental_only (vocal style); post-rock, post-metal (subgenres)
Shares post-rock, math rock, post-metal (subgenres); instrumental_only (vocal style)
Shares math rock, post-rock, progressive rock (subgenres); instrumental_only (vocal style)
Shares math rock, crescendo_heavy, post-metal, post-rock (signature)
Shares math rock, crescendo_heavy, post-rock, thunderstorm (signature)
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