Scottish post-rockers will never die, but you will

Mogwai excels at striking the perfect balance between its past identity and breaking new sonic ground on each of its records. Its latest release, “Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will,” is no exception.

Much of the album feels like a logical step forward from 2008’s “The Hawk Is Howling,” with guitar-driven tracks boasting of a sort of atmospheric anger. These provide the meat of an album with no true duds, and indeed, “Rano Pano” and “Too Raging To Cheers” are standouts.

However, it is on the tracks that most diverge from that tried-and-true formula that the band finds its most interesting successes. “Mexican Grand Prix” brings the electronic accents present throughout the record to the forefront, resulting in likely the first Mogwai song ever that is borderline danceable.

Meanwhile, “San Pedro” takes an opposite approach, hearkening back to the band at its most guitar-heavy. Sounding like a more focused version of Mogwai classic “Glasgow Mega-Snake,” it is the centerpiece and embodiment of a record that finds inspiration in both the band’s past and future.