Artwork by Haitz de Deigo
Style: Post-rock, post-metal (instrumental)
Recommended for fans of: Russian Circles, Pelican, Cult of Luna
Country: Spain
Release date: 30 January 2026
Destruction and decay are inevitabilities of life. Whether from natural disasters or humanity’s inherent bloodlust rooted in the inability to coexist amongst our superficial differences, ruin surrounds us. The album cover of Quan tot s’apagui, translated from Catalan to “when everything fades”, depicts the all-too-common scene of war-torn urban wreckage. From this background come Syberia, a post-metal outfit based in Barcelona. As an instrumental group, Syberia promise a uniquely personal experience, allowing the listener to incorporate their own inner battles into the album’s narrative. Like a flower budding amongst the ashes of a forest fire, does the group offer hope for a brighter future, or do they wallow in despair?
With five songs stretched over forty-five minutes, Quan tot s’apagui explores vast, desolate post-metal landscapes through extended compositions. In these expansive runtimes, Syberia provide ample space for their musical ideas to breathe and develop a consistent atmosphere. Though there are no vocals, synths and mid-to-high note guitar tremolo picking do provide a vocal-like mournful presence throughout the album. Interspersed spoken-word passages add to the experience; as a result, the music doesn’t feel lacking from the absence of vocals.
Unfortunately, the record’s lengthy post-metal sections result in a monotonous listen due to excessive repetition. In Quan tot s’apagui, Syberia struggle to connect the musical high points with material that doesn’t feel like filler. The minimalist single-note clean guitar section in the opening of “Dins la meva ànima la sang em bull…” (Inside my soul, my blood boils) and the slogging front half of “naixença d’una mort tranquil·la.” (Birth of a peaceful death) are examples of musical passages whose purpose seems to set the stage for what follows rather than offer in-the-moment excitement. Too often, these sections seem to stretch on for longer than necessary, and the repetitive stagnation prevents momentum from building as the songs progress. The two-minute album lead-in and outro sections are additional, unneeded filler that subtract rather than add to the listening experience. As a result, the music tends to slip to the back of the listener’s mind, becoming more background noise than an active listen.
There are high points to be found in Quan tot s’apagui, though, provided by drummer Manel Woodcutter. The high-energy drumming that carries the midpoint of “naixença d’una mort tranquil·la.” and momentous performance in the beginning of “llampecs d’oblit d’uns records en vida,” (Flashes of forgetting some memories in life) stand out and break up the post-metal monotony. Woodcutter swirls his drumkit to a peak at the closing of “En la foscor una llum que brilla,” (In the darkness a light that shines), and with a snap of the snare drum ushers a burly guitar chugging riff. On the other hand, the lack of guitar-led vitality shows as the closing of “naixença d’una mort tranquil·la.” and “quan me’n vagi no em tanqueu els ulls.” (When I’m gone don’t close my eyes) find Woodcutter drumming in isolation; his solo performances end up more compelling than when he’s joined by the full band.
Composing an engaging instrumental post-metal album is a daunting task. Defined by slowly built passages in expansive songs, post-heavy music lends itself towards musical excess and bloat. In contrast to Quan tot s’apagui, instrumental bands like Russian Circle and Neànder have demonstrated that structuring songs that march forward and avoiding musical stagnation through over-repetition are critical elements for success. While Syberia have successfully crafted an album with a convincing musical atmosphere of despair from destruction, the associated music itself fails to consistently draw the listener in to develop the needed emotional connection. In the end, at the conclusion of Quan tot s’apagui I found myself lost amongst the rubble, unsure how to process the surrounding destruction.
Recommended tracks: naixença d’una mort tranquil·la., llampecs d’oblit d’uns records en vida,
You may also like: Bruit ≤, Neànder, Bossk, Sundrowned, Thumos
Final verdict: 5/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Silent Pendulum Records
Syberia is:
– Oscar Linares Rovira (guitars)
– JordiOnly (guitars and synths)
– Quim Torres (bass)
– Manel Woodcutter (drums)
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