022, with 20 years and a strong collection of masterful, acclaimed albums to their name, Irish post-rock maestros GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT come full circle with their live studio output, The Beginning Of The End. Recorded at Windmill Lane Recording Studio in Dublin, Ireland on October 3, 2021, the album features modern transformations of all of the songs from their debut album, 2002’s The End Of The Beginning, encompassing each track’s evolutionary changes throughout the band’s years of live performances while allowing the original melodies and songwriting to shine through.

 

Stage classics such as "From Dust to the Beyond" and "Route 666" can be heard in a new light, with clear, transformative variations originally heard during the band’s captivating live performances now incorporated. Plus, in addition to these live expansions, technical advances have been applied to each track. Originally limited to just a keyboard sequencer and an Akai S3000 sampler on The End Of The Beginning, 20 years later on The Beginning Of The End, the band seizes the opportunity to breathe new life into these live versions, allowing them to bring more feeling, experience and expression to the music and songs. In addition to audible advancements in musicality, the release of The Beginning Of The End could not be more relevant than in these current dark times. War themes are strikingly evident on tracks such as the aforementioned "From Dust to the Beyond", as well as "The End of the Beginning" – named after a quote credited to Prime Minister Winston Churchill during the WWII era. Influenced by the chaos and futility of war, these themes are also reflected on the album’s cover, created by the band in collaboration with returning artist David Rooney. Featuring a war-torn concert hall and a piano, the art is a defiant message reflecting that the power of music transcends war and time.

 

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT’s upcoming release, The Beginning Of The End, provides a sonic snapshot of the evolution of the Irish post-rock band over two decades. Made enthralling and memorable with live momentum, The Beginning Of The End belongs in every well-curated post-rock record collection!