A Silver Mt. Zion is a mostly instrumental Montreal chamber rock group of musicians from Godspeed You Black Emperor!, including GYBE! guitarist Efrim (who focuses more on piano in this band), violinist Sophie, bassist Thierry, and guests. Efrim began writing the music in early 1999 and A Silver Mt. Zion played their first show in early March of that year. The group — along with occasional guests Aidan (drummer, also of Godspeed and Exhaust), Gordon Krieger (clarinetist in Exhaust), and guitarist Sam Shalabi — began recording A Silver Mt. Zion's debut album by November. He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corners of Our Rooms was released in March 2000 on the independent Montreal imprint Constellation, also home to GYBE! albums.