Red Forest cover

Red Forest

If These Trees Could Talk · 2012

47 min · 9 tracks · post-metal

Ethereal soundscapes intertwine with heavy, atmospheric instrumentation, creating a haunting journey through emotional and natural landscapes.

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Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    The First Fire — This track exemplifies the album's dynamic range, blending soft melodic passages with explosive climaxes that showcase the band's mastery of tension and release.
  • →
    Barren Lands of the Modern Dinosaur — A compelling exploration of desolation, this track encapsulates the album's overarching themes with its haunting melodies and heavy, immersive instrumentation.
  • →
    Red Forest — As the title track, it serves as a centerpiece for the album, weaving together motifs present throughout while pushing boundaries with its expansive length and emotional intensity.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

72 /100
Alpine
Higher than 95% of albums we've rated

The album's intricate compositions and seamless flow create a haunting yet engaging listening experience.

What we noticed

  • The album features long tracks, with several exceeding six minutes, allowing for gradual build-ups and atmospheric development.
  • Each track transitions smoothly into the next, often using ambient interludes to maintain a cohesive soundscape.
  • Heavy guitar riffs are interspersed with softer, melodic passages, creating dynamic contrasts that evoke emotional responses.
Composition 25% of the score
7/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
8/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
7/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
8/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
9/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Breath of Life 1:48
  • 2 The First Fire 6:30
  • 3 Barren Lands of the Modern Dinosaur 5:57
  • 4 They Speak With Knives 5:40
  • 5 The Gift of Two Rivers 1:11
  • 6 Red Forest 8:25
  • 7 Aleutian Clouds 3:03
  • 8 Left to Rust and Rot 5:24
  • 9 When the Big Hand Buries the Twelve 9:38

What to play next

The Bones of a Dying World
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2016
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Go back to

Above the Earth, Below the Sky

2009
Full If These Trees Could Talk discography Artists like If These Trees Could Talk
post-metal

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata