Traversing Realms: Mountainscape Reach New Horizons

Band: Mountainscape

Album: Traversing Realms

Releases: 24 - 07 - 2026

Vinyl: roadtomasochist.co.uk

After a short break from writing reviews, not because there was a shortage of quality releases, but simply because I needed to step away, it was Traversing Realms by Mountainscape that pulled me straight back to the keyboard. This is a band I've come to know well over the years, having seen them live several times and shared a few beers discussing music. One thing has always stood out to me and that's their excitement, ambition, and constant desire to push themselves creatively. They're never content standing still, always exploring new textures, crossing genres, and expanding their sonic horizons. Traversing Realms is the culmination of that mindset.

Built around three tracks inspired by the worlds of science fiction and gaming, subjects I know very little about by the way! I approached this release with one objective really, and that is to judge it purely on the music. And that's where Mountainscape truly excel.

Opening with Dune, the band waste no time making a statement. It's expansive, cinematic, colossal, and wonderfully unpredictable. The atmosphere is immense from the outset, with the soaring vocals of Amaya Lopez-Carromero adding both beauty and emotional weight. Like the ever-changing skies it evokes, the song constantly evolves. Crushing riffs collide with blast beats, brooding basslines and sweeping orchestration, flowing effortlessly between genres while maintaining a remarkable sense of cohesion. It's exhilarating, immersive, and leaves you floating somewhere far beyond the atmosphere.

https://youtu.be/2X22x5FlP4A?si=lKvHe3Xd5M67usoj

The Elder Scrolls continues the journey, shifting into something warmer and more dreamlike. A mesmerising melody gently unfolds before locking into a hook that carries you through vast, otherworldly landscapes. The balance between heaviness and elegance is masterfully handled, with thunderous riffs and blistering percussion sitting comfortably alongside moments of genuine beauty. Having spoken with guitarist Dan many times over the years, I can hear the bands ideas and ambitions he discussed finally taking shape. Honestly, It's incredibly satisfying to witness those creative visions fully realised and being something so real now.

Closing track Closure is exactly that, yet it also feels like the band's defining statement. In an increasingly crowded genre where originality can be difficult to achieve, Mountainscape have carved out a sound that feels unmistakably their own. Richly orchestrated, emotionally resonant and endlessly uplifting, it's a piece that genuinely lives up to the album's title, you quite literally feel like you do traverse realms. The melodies are breathtaking, carrying an emotional weight that kept drawing me back for repeated listens without interruption.

Yes, there are only three tracks, but don't let that fool you. This may well be the most memorable thirty minutes of your day. The melodies linger long after the music ends. You'll find yourself subconsciously humming them hours later, and there are moments where the hairs on your arms genuinely stand to attention, I firmly believe you'll emerge feeling just a little lighter, a little more inspired, and already reaching to press play again.

Iridescent | Mountainscape