Black Flame
Imperivm
Forces of Satan/Regain (2008)
Black Flame is an Italian black metal trio that holds the distinction of being one of the first bands signed to Forces of Satan Records, a label created by Gorgoroth founder and guitarist Infernus. Now, the future of Gorgoroth may be uncertain, at least until there's a ruling on who owns the rights to the name, but the future and … Read more
Black Hell
Deformers of the Universe
Hater of God (2006)
I'm from Arizona, so I'm not jumping at the chance to describe Black Hell as "crawling out of the sandblasted wastes" or any such thing; it's not as exotic for me. But they do in fact come from my beautiful and notoriously dry home state, hitting hard with their debut Deformers of the Universe on the always-reliable label Hater of … Read more
Black Hell
How the Rest was Lost
Hater of God (2009)
Venture deep into the desert of the Southwest and you'll find Black Hell, a doom metal quartet featuring ex-members of Wellington and Unruh who have just released their second album, How the Rest was Lost. Black Hell show show a bit of a split personality on their sophomore effort. On one half, they play fast, groovy stoner-influenced doom metal with … Read more
Black Lips
…Sing In a World That’s Falling Apart
Fire Records/Vice Records (2020)
In an era of heart-on-sleeve Americana, the Black Lips are up to something else on …Sing In a World That’s Falling Apart. Black Lips approach Americana in this record in half parody and half serious mode. It embraces the ugly with their tongues sticking out instead of buried in their cheek. The record takes traditional stylings, music-wise, and piles the … Read more
Black Map
Melodoria
Minus Head Records (2022)
Black Map came to be in a moment of synchronicity. Somehow at the exact time period, dredg, Far and The Trophy Fire were all put on hiatus. As a result, Mark Engles, Chris Robyn, and Ben Flanagan started to collaborate on their new project. And so Black Map’s debut record, …And We Explode arrived in 2014, with the band coalescing … Read more
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Cobra Juicy
Rad Cult (2012)
Black Moth Super Rainbow are a great group of musicians led by one person mysteriously known as Tobacco that pump out some of the most psychedelically delicious sounding records that I have ever heard in my life, and they are the type of musicians that do whatever the hell they want while still making ass shakingly fun records. With the … Read more
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Dandelion Gum
Graveface (2007)
Making themselves known to a national audience by opening for The Flaming Lips and already slated as an opener for Aesop Rock this winter, Black Moth Super Rainbow latest release, Dandelion Gum, was lent to me by a friend. The psychedelic/drone-pop is repetitive and spaced out in all the right ways, but the jams never get in the way of … Read more
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Eating Us
Grave Face (2009)
Wow, just seriously wow, even though Black Moth Super Rainbow has been on my list to check out for a while now, I am glad that their latest album, Eating Us is my first exposure to the group because it is a breath of fresh air at just the right time. When trying to describe the band to people (as … Read more
Black Rivers
Self Titled
Ignition Records (2015)
For the last few years any musical output with brothers Jez and Andy Williams at the helm has sounded otherworldly, like it's trying to capture some impossible-to-comprehend expanse that stretches beyond the atmosphere. As two-thirds of Mancunian outfit Doves, there was ready admittance between all three band members that when they were working on tracklists for their albums they would … Read more
Black Sabbath
13
Vertigo (2013)
Black Sabbath is well, it. They are the genesis of it all. History is divided as B.C. and A.D., to differentiate what came before and what came after. The history of music can be divided similarly. There is music before Sabbath, and there is everything after.Casting all reverential metaphors aside, it pains me deeply to say that 13 Sabbath's first … Read more
Black Shape Of Nexus
Negative Black
Exile on Mainstream (2012)
Wanting to hear more of Black Shape Of Nexus following their split with Kodiak a couple of years back led me to the intense Negative Black, and while I am not well versed with all of the work from B.SON (an acronym of sorts for the band), this album feels like a somewhat departure at least from what has come … Read more
Black Spirituals
Black Access/Black Axes
Sige (2018)
The sound of Black Spirituals is an amalgamation of various disciplines, lineages and motifs. The duo featuring percussionist/drummer extraordinaire Marshall Trammell and sonic explorer Zachary James Watkins has displayed from day one their tendency to investigate the far edges of the music spectrum. Channelling the improvisational corners of rock, the spirit of free jazz, the modularity of drone music and … Read more
Black SS
Terror of the North East: 2004-2007
Reaper (2008)
I've mentioned it before in other reviews that I usually try to find bands to enjoy musically by their own personal likability. Although I do realize that most of these likable factors are usually based on preconceived assumptions that I pull from band photos and lyrics. Let's take Black Sheep Squadron for example. We both have a love affair with … Read more
Black SS / Raining Bricks
Split
Organized Crime (2006)
I was relieved to find out that Black SS stands for Black Sheep Squadron, and not some Nazi organization, upon receiving this record. The cover art for one side of the split featured a fearsome black widow spider, so for all I knew, I was about to hear some intense hate anthems. Instead, what I got was some intense hardcore … Read more
Black Swift
See Me Human
Independent (2017)
It’s time for me to admit I enjoy reading promo blurbs. Every promo either talks about a revelation in an existing genre or about a band discovering a new genre altogether. Which makes sense; the label or band is trying to sell something and telling you you’re about to listen to something bland or utterly boring is not the world’s … Read more
Black Wing
...Is Doomed
Flenser (2015)
The name Dan Barrett is well known to anyone following projects such as Have a Nice Life, Giles Corey and Enemies List (and quite a few more.) In his latest project, Black Wing, Barrett sets on a digital-only path. While the motto of his other project, Giles Corey, has been: “only acoustic instruments allowed,” Black Wing features only digital instruments. … Read more
BlackDots
EP2
Motorcycle Potluck Records (2022)
BlackDots are back with EP2, released digitally and on a flexi 7”. The peppy, punky band from Denver are energetic but they aren’t your typical punk band, even if they do check a lot of the boxes. With dual vocals and melodic guitars, the general sound is somewhat quirky but upbeat and bouncy music. It’s emotional and cathartic but built … Read more
Blackfield
Blackfield II
Atlantic (2007)
Blackfield is the collaboration between Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree fame and Israeli rocker Aviv Geffen. Blackfield I was released in 2004 to much critical acclaim and now the men are back with the rather originally named Blackfield II. You can say much about these guys, but the titles of their albums are at least straight to the point. Like … Read more
