So, the album title is a lie, that's one thing. This one is not 'Made of Breath Only'. On the other hand, imagine if this album wàs made out of breath only, that would make these guys incredible human beatboxes, Bauchklang or DubFX would look like amateurs compared to an a cappella Sleepmakeswaves. But, of course, there are guitars, drums, bass and whatnot on this album, all arranged in perfect Sleepmakeswaves tradition, which in my book means "party post rock". For me, these Australians have always been standing out because of their uptempo songs, their massive sound and their ability to set venues on fire with sheer enthusiasm.
On 'Made Of Breath Only', those elements still stand, even though the whole thing feels darker and more aggressive that their previous efforts. The 'metal' tag now seems to shine through, resulting in blasting tunes like 'Worlds Away' and the fierce headbanger 'The Edge Of Everything'. There seems to be a bigger emphasis on riffs this time, even though the typical Sleepmakeswaves soundscapes are still present. In the past, you could dance to Sleepmakeswaves, but now you can also bang your head, which I think is a pretty damn good evolution.
Furthermore, the songs are more complex and progressive than what I am used to. More varied too, even coming up with funky bass lines, beautiful piano tunes (that title track is breathtaking), math metal elements, dance beats and so much more. I really feel like each band member put his very soul into this album, along of course with heaps of technical abilities and experience. 'Into The Arms Of Ghosts' begins with almost typical trance, complete with dance beats, combined with typical post rock, only to blast out in brutal progressive metal, combined with psychedelic rock. The song is as complex as that sentence I wrote about it but it still is bloody awesome.
Well, I guess you should know by now that this is a brilliant piece of work, destined to grab the post rock scene by the hand and help it evolve into the future. Heavier, darker, angrier and more intense than its predecessors, 'Made Of Breath Only' is a landmark in its genre, and a magnum opus for a massively talented band. I can only recommend this album to all fans of instrumental rock music, whether it's post rock, post metal, progressive rock or anything related. You simply can't go wrong with Sleepmakeswaves. They help define the sound of tomorrow's scene...
Serge