Moving Mountains

Hailing from Purchase, New York, the post-rock group Moving Mountains earned recognition through their ambitious songwriting style, which expands upon the atmospheric, emo-tinged textures associated with outfits such as the Appleseed Cast. What began as a duo brought together singer-guitarist Gregory Dunn and drummer Nicholas Pizzolato, with Dunn still attending high school and seeking a musical outlet for personal experiences; together they shaped the layered, expansive sound that became the band’s signature. The pair captured those ideas on a self-titled demo EP in 2006, only to have the recordings surface publicly via an unapproved music-blog leak. Although the disclosure initially caused frustration, it ultimately supplied useful commentary and cultivated an early audience. Their first proper album, Pneuma, arrived in 2007, initially issued independently and later handled by Deep Elm Records. That same year the lineup expanded to a quartet with the addition of guitarist Frank Graniero and bassist Mitchell Lee, enabling the group to take the stage. The refreshed configuration issued the EP Foreword in 2008 and maintained a rigorous touring schedule, sharing bills with Thursday and The Dear Hunter before receiving an invitation to the 2011 Vans Warped Tour. Later the same year the band delivered its second full-length album, Waves, via Triple Crown Records.