Post-rock bands live and die by their command of dynamics. Building from a whisper to triumphant crescendo sounds pretty easy until you try it, which is why This Will Destroy You's music comes with a high degree of difficulty. The Texas quartet stretches the dynamic range of post-rock from both sides—their quiet moments are quieter than most, and their loud moments are louder than most. For evidence, just look to "New Topia," the opening track off TWDY's excellent 2014 release, Another Language. The first half is a gentle sigh of blurry drones and twinkling guitars that wouldn't sound out of place coming from Portland-based ambient hero Eluvium. At about the three-minute mark, "New Topia" shifts into a dense wall of industrial noise-fuzz as an elegant melody wails in the background. This isn't your typical quiet-loud-quiet post-rock. This Will Destroy You explores the distance between beauty and brutality. BEN SALMON