From Bandcamp, “On their twelfth full-length "Paleobotany", BOTANIST take us back more than 70 million years to a time when dinosaurs ruled the planet and early forests began to turn to coal. Before the age of giants ended in flames with the apocalyptic impact of the Chicxulub asteroid, many plants also grew much larger than their descendants that we know today. "Paleobotany" comes with all the trademark characteristics that set BOTANIST apart from all other metal acts on this planet.

“Aristolochia” is first, and it has a nice combination of melody and belligerence. The mood is somber, and although the clean vocals are melancholy and expressive, the harsh vocals accentuate the pain. “When Forests Turned to Coal” has some almost jovial sounds, but they are cast aside like a bad habit with the guttural harsh vocals. The clean harmonized vocals are interesting…it’s like they are holding on to something hopeful when everything is deteriorating around them. “Archaeamphora” is much darker and sober, and Progressive elements come through stronger. The vocal harmonies are easy on the ears, but the skies are constantly shifting through a long lasting storm.

“The Impact That Built the Amazon” has downtrodden piano notes in unison with this strange event in history. The vocals are soft and melancholy and the entire song leaves a monumental feeling behind. “Sigillaria” is another song heavy with emotion, especially in the clean vocals. They lament like nothing I have heard this year, in a Post Rock sort of way. “Strychnos Electri” is much darker and more aggressive in the vocals. The music maintains a softness that makes it easy to assimilate, but the vocals butt up hard against them. “Wollemia Nobilis” is shorter and more hasty, and you get the feeling something nefarious is headed your way. The harmonized harsh vocals further drive this feeling, and they chant at times.

“Dioon” has a thicker sound of dissonance in the music, ethereal keyboard sounds pepper the background, and tension is high. Listen to the clean vocals towards the end…they seem to exist despite of the carnage around them. “Royal Protea” closes the album, and the sun coming shining in with an ending message of hope. The vocal harmonies are gorgeous. This a very personal album with a sentimental message. The way that they combine varied elements into their music is sometimes jarring and dissonant; a reminder that life isn’t always pleasant. It has an unusual sound that I believe will appeal to many Post Metal enthusiasts.