Having lived in Montreal for just over a decade now, it’s been obvious how there are certain figures in this city’s musical history that have been raised to mythological status. From Leonard Cohen, to Arcade Fire, to Celine Dion, Montreal has no shortage of music icons. And from the underground view, they don’t get any bigger than GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR. The band is legendary here in this town, so when they announced in 2003 that they were taking an indefinite hiatus, fans let out a collective sigh. Seven years later in late 2010, the band regrouped and hit the road for a critically acclaimed tour; but perhaps greatest of all is the fact that on Tuesday, October 16th GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR is releasing their hugely anticipated new album entitled Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend! Eli Klemen of Sputnikmusic claims that the album has “immeasurable breadth and depth” and is a “truly unforgettable experience.” Drowned in Sound’s Andrzej Lukowski agreed that the release is “a modestly magnificent record that entirely validates” the band reforming. Mark Richardson of Pitchfork also draws a connection between the group’s entire output, finishing his review by calling this “an album of music that is both new and old from a band that we thought we might never hear from again, one we should appreciate while we can.” You can pick up your own copy of the album on iTunes, and stream it in full below (if the YouTube video below gets taken down you can also stream it in full at The Guardian). To visit the band’s official website CLICK HERE, and to read about the band’s origins and evolution CLICK HERE. To check out their complete list of worldwide tour dates simply head over to Constellation Records.
