10contra1 12x05: Mountaineer, Bloodletting (2020)

10CONTRA1

Back in 2018, Mountaineer’s brave concept album Passages checked all the right boxes. The captivating mix of post-metal, doom, and shoegaze was offset just so with an alluring sense of adventure, as the band threw in some odd instruments and bleak, cathartic progression in the songs. In fact, the mighty El Cuervo claimed Passages was one of the few post-metal albums he still went back to. High praise from our deliberately contrary Brit. Now these Californians have returned with Bloodletting, which promises to present an even darker take on life. The band also returns having doubled in size since Passages, having added a bass player and two more guitar players to the mix. Can Mountaineer create less with more, or will the trio of guitarists bloat Bloodletting à la Iron Maiden?