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Godspeed You! Black Emperor, or GY!BE, is a nine-piece Montreal-based post-rock group who is known for their unyielding drive to experiment and push boundaries, as well as for its unconventional song structure. Its songs can be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes long, each broken into a number of movements that are often completely different from one another. In this way, GY!BE structures their songs in a manner expected of classical composers rather than that of a rock band.
GY!BE has made immeasurable advances for the genre of post-rock as a whole through its experimentation and the overall quality of music that they produce. Many of the early works in its discography, including its 1996 debut album “F♯ A♯ ∞” and its 2000 sophomore album “Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven” are considered classics within the genre and have been almost universally acclaimed by critics and fans alike.
“Storm,” the first track on “Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven,” clocks in at over 22 minutes in length, functioning almost like an album on its own. It is my personal favorite song from the band’s discography. The song begins with a six-minute movement that can best be described as cinematic, as it feels like it belongs in the background of an action movie scene. The movement starts slowly but builds intensity in a way that is incredibly effective, keeping listeners on the edge of their seats for all six minutes as the track progresses.
The second movement is 11 minutes long and begins with a beautiful layering of violins and electric guitars that creates a level of emotional depth for the track. As drums are added to the mix, the movement grows more intense. Around four minutes into the movement, there is an instance of traditional rock structure which, after another two minutes, transitions back into a cinematic section while building in intensity until the end of the movement.
The third and fourth movements serve as fantastic examples of the experimentation that is so emblematic of GY!BE. The third movement is a minute-long soundscape of what seems to be the entrance to a convenience store in a city. While this may seem mundane, its placement in the song, along with some of the sounds in the background, make it feel very purposeful and necessary in the overall concept and narrative of the album. The fourth movement is a distorted, revolutionary speech set to ominous piano music that creates a very commanding and suspenseful ending.
Overall, “Storm” is a song that anyone with free time should listen to if looking for something different. It is a thrilling song from beginning to end. While it might not be for everyone––a band who writes a 22 minute song certainly does run that risk––I would encourage anyone to at least give it a try.