The Belgian post-metal band Taller Than The Trees has just unveiled their latest single, “In Solitude.” This emotionally charged track is a testament to the band’s unique take on post-metal, featuring a soft intro, a range of rhythmic variations, and lyrics drenched in melancholy. It explores the paradoxical sense of loneliness that pervades our hyper-connected world, a sentiment that resonates deeply with many listeners.
Recorded at the renowned dunk!studios, this new single marks the band’s first release since their acclaimed 2018 EP, “Hubris.” Get ready to immerse yourself in the intricate guitar work, pulsating rhythms, and powerful climaxes that make up Taller Than The Trees’ signature sound.
To celebrate its release, we have teamed up with the band to give you some more details about their work and recommend some noteworthy post metal and unconventional, progressive metal acts you should check out if you haven’t.
Wies (drums) and his brother Jan (guitar, vocals) have been in bands since Wies first picked up the sticks. They immersed themselves in the metal genre around 2008 and transitioned to a metalcore/post-hardcore band, The Silencing, in the early 2010s, where they were joined by Tom (guitar). They played numerous shows but only recorded one demo song, now lost.
In 2013, their musical tastes shifted towards post-rock and post-metal. Jan started an instrumental solo project, The Lighthouse Diary, which evolved into harder music. Reuniting with Tom, they transitioned to post-metal and changed their name to Taller Than The Trees, adding Jan’s vocals and bassist Stijn. Their debut EP, ‘Hubris,’ released in February 2018, received positive feedback in Belgium’s underground scene.
However, Wies’ year-long trip and the COVID pandemic stalled the band’s progress. Eager to play music again in 2022, they recorded several songs at dunk!studios, including the recently released single ‘In Solitude.’
The band’s creative influences stem from a diverse array of post-metal heavyweights, such as Cult of Luna, Russian Circles, The Ocean, Stake, and Brutus, while also admiring the intricate riffs of Mastodon. With roots in the post-hardcore scene, Taller Than The Trees embodies elements from bands like Norma Jean and Every Time I Die. Each member’s unique musical taste, ranging from black metal and stoner rock to classical music and progressive metal, enriches their distinctive sound.
“For us, post-metal is the best definition of the type of music that we write. However, we don’t let the genre (which is already quite vaguely defined, at best) determine the artistic boundaries of our band.” – comments the band.
The name Taller Than The Trees is derived from the classic Henry David Thoreau quote, “I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” As such, it is evident that the band finds inspiration in nature for their music. Their lyrics are also influenced by global events, often taking on a darker, misanthropic tone.
Their latest single, “In Solitude,” addresses the paradox of isolation in a world increasingly connected through social media. Written before the COVID-19 pandemic, this sentiment resonated strongly with many people during lockdowns. Other songs, such as “Hubris” and “Mammoth,” are inspired by climate change and environmental destruction, while “Nivelles” delves into the growing polarization in politics.
Taller Than The Trees’ guitarist Tom also performs in a grunge/alternative band called Albino.
Meanwhile, Jan, the band’s singer and guitarist, is a tenor in the Leuven University Alumni Choir (LAK), a project choir currently preparing a concert featuring the epic music of Belgian composer Jules Van Nuffel.
In addition to the well-known post-metal bands that have made their mark on the music scene, there are numerous up-and-coming underground bands offering their unique spin on the genre. These promising acts are worth exploring for fans of post-metal, showcasing the diversity and innovation within this growing musical movement. Here are some of the picks shared by The name Taller Than The Trees. Keep in mind that the following list merely scratches the surface of what’s out there.
– Juneau who play heavy-hitting instrumental post-metal/post-rock
– Pothamus, hailing from the same city as Psychonaut and Hippotraktor, plays crushing atmospheric post-metal
– Aufhebung bring some fantastically intense instrumental post-metal
– Down to Dust that play their very own brand of post-black metal
– Hippotraktor (from members of Psychonaut) and Astodan play atmospheric post-metal that you can actually sing along to. I think both bands will grow into well-known bands quite soon, with Hippotraktor already having been signed to Pelagic Records.
– Patroness who mix post-metal with black metal and stoner metal, and it somehow sounds awesome
– Turpentine Valley play intense, instrumental post-metal
– Capitan who go for a more atmospheric sound and clean vocals
– URSA are an instrumental progressive metal band with large post-metal influences. We’re a big fan of the constant barrage of super tight riffs.
– Onrust bring many post-metal influences together to create their own sound
– Days of Depths who play intricate, cinematic and dark instrumental post-metal
“There’s also lots of interesting things going on in closely related genres, bands such as Forest/Mountain (post-rock), Bearfighter (stoner rock), Wanheda (post-rock), Splendidula (doom metal/sludge), Headshrinker (hardcore punk)… are definitely worth checking out!” – adds the band.
“We recently played with Raüm from Liège and were really impressed by them. They play atmospheric black metal and have only recently started out, but sound like they’ve been playing for years. Their debut album is often on repeat here.
We’ve had lots of help throughout the years from our friends in Bearfighter, who play stoner/hard rock with some mighty fine riffs! Westerlo city represent!
We’d also like to thank Juneau for helping us avoid being the only post-metal band in our local and very rural region and always being there at shows. It’s always a pleasure sharing the stage with these guys! Their heavy hitting instrumental post-metal live shows are always a blast!”
Taller Than The Trees has been keeping a close ear to the ground, discovering some incredible releases in the world of heavy music this year.
Their top picks for the year so far include Aara’s mesmerizing ‘Triade III: Nyx’, the powerful single ‘Demure’ by Heriot, the relentless force of Daggers’ ‘Sentinel’, the technical mastery showcased in Periphery’s ‘Periphery V: Djent is not a genre’, and the atmospheric intensity of Downfall of Gaia’s ‘Silhouettes of Disgust’.
These diverse selections demonstrate the band’s keen interest in exploring the ever-evolving landscape of metal and heavy music.
Taller Than The Trees has shared their ambitious plans for the year, which include playing as many shows as possible, play as many shows as possible inside and outside of Belgium and spread their music to the whole world through the internet. They have unreleased songs that they intend to release and are working on creating new material as well.
Embracing the DIY spirit, the band has begun screen printing their own t-shirts and posters. They recently organized their first show and enjoyed the experience, so they plan to continue organizing more events throughout the year.
The band believes in the importance of a vibrant local scene, stressing that live-show culture is essential and must be nurtured and preserved at all costs.
