If These Trees Could Talk

Lore & Background

If These Trees Could Talk formed in Akron, Ohio, and began their recording career with a self-titled debut EP in 2006, which they self-released. The independent label the Mylene Sheath re-issued that EP on vinyl in 2007 and later published the band's debut studio album, Above the Earth, Below the Sky, on vinyl in 2009. The band self-released their second album, Red Forest, in March 2012, with a vinyl version coming out through Science of Silence Records. To support the album, they organized and promoted their own tour throughout Europe in April 2012.

In June 2016, the band issued their third album, The Bones of a Dying World, on Metal Blade Records. Metal Blade subsequently re-issued all of the band's previous releases in 2021 and 2022. After a nearly eight-year gap, the band published a new single, 'Trail of Whispering Giants', in February 2024. The band's lineup consists of Tom Fihe on bass guitar, Jeff Kalal and Cody Kelly on guitar, Mike Socrates on guitar, and Zack Kelly on drums.

Reader's Guide

If These Trees Could Talk occupies a distinct place in the instrumental post-rock landscape, emerging from Akron, Ohio, with a sound built on layered guitars and dynamic compositions. Their early self-released work, including the 2006 EP and the 2009 album Above the Earth, Below the Sky, established them within the independent scene, with the Mylene Sheath handling vinyl releases. The band's self-released second album, Red Forest (2012), and their self-promoted European tour that year demonstrated a do-it-yourself approach to distribution and touring. Their signing to Metal Blade Records for The Bones of a Dying World (2016) marked a shift to a larger label, which later re-issued their entire back catalog in 2021 and 2022, ensuring continued availability of their earlier material. The 2024 single 'Trail of Whispering Giants' ended a long period of inactivity, reaffirming the band's ongoing presence. Their significance lies in their consistent output of instrumental post-rock over two decades, moving from self-releases to a major independent label while maintaining their core lineup and sound.

Did You Know?

• The band self-released their debut EP in 2006 and later re-issued it on vinyl through the Mylene Sheath in 2007.
• Their second album, Red Forest, was self-released in March 2012, with a vinyl version through Science of Silence Records.
• They undertook a self-promoted tour throughout Europe in April 2012.
• All of the band's pre-2016 releases were re-issued by Metal Blade Records in 2021 and 2022.

Origins in the Heartland

If These Trees Could Talk emerged from Akron, Ohio, as a five-piece instrumental post-rock ensemble. The group's lineup centers on Tom Fihe on bass guitar, with three guitarists—Jeff Kalal, Cody Kelly, and Mike Socrates—layering textures over Zack Kelly's drum work. Rather than relying on a traditional rhythm-and-lead guitar split, the trio of string players gives the band a dense, interwoven sonic palette characteristic of the post-rock genre. Their first public offering was a self-titled EP that they pressed and distributed entirely on their own in 2006, a common path for independent musicians building an audience from the ground up. That DIY ethos would define much of the band's early trajectory, as they navigated the music scene without the backing of a major label. The Akron base placed them firmly in the American Midwest, yet their instrumental approach and atmospheric songwriting set them apart from the broader rock landscape. By the time independent label the Mylene Sheath discovered them, the group had already established a small but dedicated following through word of mouth and self-managed distribution.

Vinyl, Labels, and a Growing Catalog

The band's relationship with the physical music market has been a defining thread through their career. After the Mylene Sheath picked up their 2006 debut EP and re-issued it on vinyl in 2007, the label went on to release their first full-length album, Above the Earth, Below the Sky, on vinyl in 2009. That commitment to the analog format signaled a group that valued tangible, collectible releases alongside any digital distribution. When Red Forest arrived in March 2012, the group handled the initial release themselves but partnered with Science of Silence Records for a vinyl pressing, maintaining that dual approach. The Bones of a Dying World marked a significant step forward, landing on the larger Metal Blade Records in June 2016. That partnership proved durable: in 2021 and 2022, Metal Blade re-issued all of the band's prior catalog, giving longtime and new listeners alike access to the full arc of their work under a single imprint. The progression from a self-released EP to a major-label reissue cycle illustrates how the group steadily expanded their reach while preserving the independent spirit that characterized their earliest work.

Crossing the Atlantic

One of the most notable moves in the band's history came in the spring of 2012, when they launched a self-promoted tour across Europe. This followed the March 2012 release of their second album, Red Forest, and represented a deliberate push beyond the domestic scene where they had been building their audience since the mid-2000s. The fact that the tour was self-promoted—meaning the band handled the logistics, bookings, and marketing themselves—underscores the hands-on, independent mentality that has persisted throughout their career. Rather than relying on a booking agent or a label's touring department, the group took direct ownership of getting their music in front of European audiences. This was a significant undertaking for a five-piece instrumental outfit operating out of Akron, Ohio, and it speaks to the confidence they had in their material at that point. The European dates also positioned them within a scene where post-rock and instrumental music have historically found particularly receptive audiences, suggesting a strategic alignment between the band's sound and the tastes of continental listeners.

Silence, Reissues, and a New Chapter

Between the release of The Bones of a Dying World in June 2016 and the publication of "Trail of Whispering Giants" in February 2024, the band observed a silence of nearly eight years. That gap was not entirely empty: Metal Blade Records re-issued the entire prior catalog in 2021 and 2022, keeping the music in circulation and introducing it to new listeners during the hiatus. The 2024 single, then, carried the weight of that long pause, serving as the first genuinely new material the group had put out in almost a decade. Its title, "Trail of Whispering Giants," evokes the atmospheric, nature-adjacent imagery that has threaded through the band's naming conventions from the very start. Looking ahead, the discography lists a forthcoming album titled The Hidden Hand, slated for 2026, suggesting that the group has not simply emerged for a one-off statement but is planning to continue building their body of work. The same five members—Fihe, Kalal, Cody Kelly, Socrates, and Zack Kelly—remain at the core, indicating a stable, long-term creative unit rather than a revolving lineup.