Earthshine – My Bones Shall Rest Upon the Mountain: Through Cold and Strife

My Bones Shall Rest Upon the Mountain by Earthshine is a raw and atmospheric blend of doom, black metal and post-rock. It captures the harshness of nature and life’s struggles while evoking the perseverance of a warrior facing battles of isolation, death, and inner turmoil

Earthshine’s second album, My Bones Shall Rest Upon the Mountain, released in 2021, represents a deeply atmospheric journey through the landscapes of doom, black metal, and post-rock. Building on the foundations of their 2016 debut, Doomed to Wander and Never Die, this album draws from personal experiences and emotions, crafted by brothers Sam and Connor Dwyer. Their work remains firmly rooted in concepts of nature, isolation, and the cold and sad realities of life’s battles, creating a compelling narrative of human struggle.

Earthshine’s music is, in many ways, a family project shaped by both shared journeys and the contrast between unity and separation. While a trip to New Zealand with their sister greatly influenced their first release, in My Bones Shall Rest Upon the Mountain, the Australian brothers draw from new landscapes and experiences of being apart—particularly Sam’s encounters with Japan’s frigid winters, contrasted with the warmth of Australia. These environmental contrasts seep into the music, giving it a gritty, cold edge that reflects both the unforgiving nature of the world and the challenges of separation and loneliness.

The rough, unpolished production ties the album to the core fundamentals of Black Metal, enhancing its rugged, stripped-back approach. This decision intensifies the music’s emotional impact, creating a visceral, immersive sound. Notably, the album was recorded using a seven-string guitar and various pedals Sam acquired in Japan. The album’s thematic depth stems from both physical and emotional battles, with tracks delving into war, the uncertainty of victory, exile, and death.

These themes are mirrored by Victor Vasnetsov’s Knight at the Crossroads, the album’s cover image. The 1882 painting, depicting a lone knight at a moment of reflection before a foreboding inscription, perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the album—where each decision feels heavy, and the road forward is filled with uncertainty and peril.

Nature serves as a powerful metaphor for life’s challenges throughout the album, particularly in Conquer thy Mountain, where the quest for victory is inseparably tied to death and struggle, evoking imagery reminiscent of Bathory’s epic Hammerheart era. The influence of post-rock comes to the forefront in A Warm Place With No Memory, where gentle, soft vocals are set against heavier, more aggressive musical elements. This contrast crafts a rich emotional landscape, exploring motifs of loneliness, loss, and the desire for warmth and belonging.

Psychedelic touches weave through the album as well, especially in the extensive and trance-like Bleed With Me. This track feels like a meditative reflection on mortality, with swirling dreamlike elements echoing the inner journey one faces when contemplating death. Earthshine’s talent for genre-blending shines here, as the song’s gradual build and layered instrumentation create a sense of both vastness and confinement, making it one of the album’s most immersive moments.

Concepts of exile, isolation, and longing for home run throughout, with Shadows on the Wall vividly depicting the experience of wandering far from familiar places, weighed down by memories and burdens. The feeling of being adrift—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—is central to the album’s narrative. This drifting quality brings Earthshine in line with the spirit of Summoning, whose influence is evident not only in the album’s atmosphere but also in the band’s name, which nods to a track by Summoning of the same title.

In Slaves of Misery, Earthshine delves into the sorrow of lost friendships and the inevitability of death. The music progresses slowly and deliberately, mirroring the lyrical focus on life’s cyclical nature of grief and loss. The emotional intensity peaks in the closing track, When I Die I Shall Return, which contemplates the passage of time, the change of seasons, and the return to nature. It serves as a fitting end to an album steeped in the harsh realities of existence.

Image source: official website

Ultimately, My Bones Shall Rest Upon the Mountain is a haunting, atmospheric journey that uses its raw production and complex layers of sound to explore the intensity of life’s battles—both external and internal. Earthshine’s ability to merge doom, black metal, and post-rock into a cohesive narrative reflects their growth as a band and their dedication to crafting music that speaks not only to the physical landscapes they’ve traversed, but to the emotional landscapes we all must navigate. This album is not just a listening experience; it’s a battle journey through cold, barren lands, where each step forward is an act of survival. Third album… when?

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Earthshine – My Bones Shall Rest Upon the Mountain (2021) / Northern Silence Productions
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