I just listened to the whaler by Home Is Where (great album btw!) and the song whaling for sport has a solid buildup that I really enjoyed! What other songs does everyone enjoy that have similar buildups?
OK I know this absolutely does not sound like what you’ve shared, but my go to band for crazy buildups is Godspeed You! Black Emperor. East Hastings’s buildup gets me every time.
Absolutely another recommendation for Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Storm from Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven is a great example of this.
+1 on the Coheed and Cambria recommendation.
I’d also recommend The Final Cut and In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth as well.
The Final Cut ends with an amazing solo.
In Keeping Secrets is amazing the whole way through but the ending is something else.
(☝◞‸◟)☞
Kim’s Caravan by Courtney Barnett is one of my favorites.
Right on time is the biggest tease of a 3 minute build up to the most disappointing pay off ever.
Child In Time by Deep Purple fits this bill nicely imo.
This might not be exactly what you’re looking for, but Human Qualities by Explosions in the Sky has a pretty sudden increase in intensity near the end. It’s not a slow and steady build up but you might still enjoy it.
