Exclusive Track Premiere & Interview: The Depth Beneath Us – Apollonian

Pennsylvania’s post-rock maximalists The Depth Beneath Us return to their proprietary blend of atmospheric dynamics, layered compositions, and propulsive immediacy across “Descent,” their new ten-song, 55-minute sophomore LP. Today the band share their latest single, ‘Apollonian’, on streaming platforms (and YouTube), alongside some more details from guitarist Matt Rockman below.

Check out the stream/video for ‘Apollonian’:

From the pummeling opening riffs of ‘Trust Thermocline‘ to the time-twisting rhythms of the title track, it’s clear that their increased ambition has paid dividends without compromising an ability to craft intricate and memorable songs.

The band reveals that the new sequence of material was carefully designed to illustrate a journey through the universal experience of conflict in its many forms. “Everywhere you look, there is a nearly unprecedented level of oppression and antagonism in the world now,” guitarist Matt Rockman reflects. “We tried to hold these experiences of conflict in mind while writing, whether societal, interpersonal, or romantic.”

Never content to remain in one mode for too long, the album also highlights how one tries to reconcile such pervasive conflict. “Some turn to diversions and distraction, others look to external adventures, and a few turn their focus inward towards meditation and reflection,” Rockman adds. The album concludes with a note of hope while remaining soberingly aware that regardless of how we navigate these challenges, people have historically been unable to put aside their differences for
long.

Check out the official video for the albums first single, ‘Cluster B’, here.

Metal Epidemic recently had the pleasure of speaking with guitarist Matt Rockman, to get more details on the track and the new album:

Metal Epidemic: Can you tell us more about the writing process for ‘Apollonian’ – was it more jam-based or structured from the start?

Matt: ‘Apollonian’ was mostly structured by the time the full band started playing it in 2024. The original working title was ‘August (2020).’ At that time, we were still without our normal practice space due to the pandemic. Mike (guitar), Ryan (bass), and I had started to write together for a few hours each weekend. These sessions were the foundation for many of the tracks on ‘Descent.’ This particular song ended up being one of the quickest for everyone to wrap our heads around as a group.

Metal Epidemic: How does the track fit into the overarching themes of ‘Descent’?

Matt: This song and the preceding track on the album, ‘Emprise,’ are meant to convey a sense of adventure and exploration. As people navigate through conflict in their lives, sometimes getting lost in a journey is the best way to discover what we truly value. We can use those lessons to inform our relationships and how we want to relate to the world around us.

Metal Epidemic: With three guitarists in the band, how do you manage arranging parts without stepping on each other’s toes?

Matt: While a lot depends on the specific song, we’ll often think of the guitar parts in terms of “rhythm” and “leads.” If I know that one of us is playing a lead high up on the neck and another is playing some crunchy chords, for example, I will focus on the middle of the neck and try to find something interesting in that register. Or two guitars in the same range can complement one another. A lot of credit also goes to our mixing engineer. One of the reasons we sought out Steve Durose was because of his experience as one of three dynamic guitarists in the band Oceansize. Besides having a great ear in general, his skill at balancing our guitar parts across the mix should not be overlooked.

Metal Epidemic: What was the most challenging track to complete on ‘Descent’, and why?

Matt: Every song on this album challenged and stretched us in one way or another. The opening track, ‘Trust Thermocline,’ was probably the most difficult to get right and didn’t fully come together until the mixing process. I’m often guilty of overthinking, and as we were writing the song and jamming on the original guitar parts, I misunderstood the timing and feel, which affected my performance of some of the faster riffs. I’m proud of the result that appears on the album, but that’s probably the one that caused us the most headaches.

Metal Epidemic: What do you hope listeners take away from ‘Descent’?

Matt: Post-rock is a mature genre, and it feels like everyone has a flavor that speaks to them most. We try to avoid pigeonholing ourselves and just write songs that energize us, both as individuals and as a group. We’re having a blast doing this and feel privileged that it seems to connect with listeners. We hope ‘Descent’ can be something people use as a soundtrack for their joys and frustrations. There was no lack of either of those as we wrote and recorded the album, and that energy can’t help but transfer from our hands to your ears.

‘Descent’ will be available on LP, CD and download on August 1st. Pre-orders are available HERE. 

The Depth Beneath Us:
Mike McCormick (Guitar)
Daniel Eckrich (Guitar)
Matt Rockman (Guitar)
Ryan Manning (Bass)
Wes Shatzer (Drums)

The Depth Beneath Us Online:
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Official Site: https://thedepthbeneathus.com/
Official Shop: https://shop.thedepthbeneathus.com/
Bandcamp: https://thedepthbeneathus.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3zeoSE858wgz3ZpJ0r4xH4?si=SbUXZxgvTnmqeD1kYl_LrA
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-depth-beneath-us/1625108355