FDF Volume 4 Issue 372 - God Is An Astronaut - The End of the Beginning

Album – The End of the Beginning
Artist – God is An Astronaut
Key Players –  Torsten Kinsella – guitars, keyboards, vocals and programming.  Niels Kinsella – bass guitar, guitars, keyboards.
Produced By – God is An Astronaut

Release Date –  2002

Overview – This is the debut album from the Irish band.  The album title is taken from a Churchill speech and the bands unique name from the film “Nightbreed”.  The twin brothers wrote and produced the record and would remain largely a duo until almost 2010.

FDF Comments (aka “the songs) – The 11 track 47 minute album opens with “The End of the Beginning”.  The guitar has a haunting swirl to it and the bass rises with it and it falls into a simple back beat.  For just a duo there is a lot going on, and you know a lot of it is sequenced/programmed.  Still the band find a way to keep it interesting and flowing.  On most post rock records you look for diversity across tracks, but still want things to be the same.  Its an odd mix.  The music pulls you in and wants you to pay attention.  Sometimes the changes are subtle, others more explosive.  “From Dust to the Beyond” follows the trend of the first track as does “Ascend to Oblivion”.  “Coda” seems to pick up the pace a little more and feel a little “heavier” yet still holds a mood.  Although there is piano/keyboards throughout “Remembrance” seems to have it most pushed to the front.  The guitar uses some ebow and then keyboards layer to that.  “Point Pleasant” has a nice bass line over the robotic drum beat and towards the end get a little more frantic, something that these ears have been waiting for. “Fall from the Stars” keeps up the more up tempo feel from the previous track with a little more buzz on the guitar and punchier bass work.  This would be the first track I’d personally play for someone off the record.  The ending is what makes it all worth it. “Twighlight” rolls in to “Coma” which is a quick track (1:16) and feels more of a segue in to “Route 666”.  “Route” has some buzzy keyboards and the bass work is solid.  The click track drum is the norm for the record but the urgency seems to lift a bit more off this track.  “Lost Symphony” is the final track on the album and once again piano is the dominant instrument on the track.

Where are they Now? – The band is still active.  They released Helios/Erebus in 2015 and continue to tour as a four piece.

FDF Overall Take/Was it Worth Dustin Off? – As noted this is the first record form the band.  In later years they have gotten to be more guitar based and a little “heavier”.  I tend to like their heavier stuff.  This won’t get a party started, but something you could put on in the background and not drive people off.  For my preference I’d go with some of the more recent records.

Links, find out more, follow em, and buy

Official Site
Facebook
Twitter
GIAA on Wiki
Buy it!

Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.