Review by Alex Grindor on November 3, 2024.

After releasing their first EP to critical acclaim in the scene, the question was; what to do next? In the immortal words of Razorfist; the same thing with better production. And thus, only a year later, Pillars Of Mountains would release Elevation, their second EP that was similarly praised. Since Ricardo (mastermind of the band) already had established a formula in the previous EP Distance, he would take it up a notch in this next release, once again accompanied by Bryan Svank in what would be his final outing with the project.

Unlike its predecessor, which began with a calm acoustic intro, Elevation starts with a brief moment of silence that is torn apart by an unusually heavy riff, followed briefly by all other instruments joining in. Ricardo has stated that this is a conscious decision as he wanted a more aggressive release this time, which I would say he totally achieved. Whereas Distance was a more contemplative, serene experience, Elevation is harsher, aggressive, and somewhat melancholic. The production is as good (if not better) than it previously was, with every instrument having a crystal clear presence. Even the vocals, drenched in reverb, are well done. If I had to point out something, I would say that the formula of the music is barely altered in this new EP. There are some interesting moments here and there but not nearly enough variation. Likewise with its predecessor, Elevation feels like an instrumental record with vocals added later, as the vocals are even more sparse and scattered than before. They are either condensed almost entirely in one single segment or spread out unevenly around the song.

Elevation would be the last release by Pillars Of Mountains for many years, as well as the last collaboration with Bryan, who would later lose interest in death metal vocals and has gone to become an excellent guitarist, while Ricardo would show very little activity with Pillars due to various personal reasons. Despite this, Elevation is (as Ricardo proudly states) the band's heaviest release but one that, while excellent, differs very little in its formula when compared to the previous EP. It feels like one step forward and backward at the same time in every aspect. But if you are a fan of atmospheric black metal and have already listened to Distance or just want to listen to this, then wait for the night, gaze at the stars, and press play. And like previously with Distance, if you would rather listen to the music without vocals, Elevation was also released in an instrumental version in 2024. Whatever format you choose, it is worth it.

Rating: 8.9 out of 10