2012 is looking to be a loud year and, well, why not? With recent trends of dubby steps and shoegazing we could all probably do with a riff or two to remind us of the importance of good old rock music. So, who better to shake things up again than newcomers Black Moth? Hailing from Leeds (where else? – Ed), the group show immediate mastery of sludge and thunder equal to that of the dinosaurs on ‘The Killing Jar’. So what’s so good about it?
I’ve always been a sucker for an opening song and debut single ‘The Articulate Dead’ is an absolute killer. The group powers straight in on a rhythmic steam train populated by apocalyptic imagery and tales of soldier and shuttles out almost as quickly as it entered, but not without muscle. Next up is the huge ‘Blackbirds Fall’, with that enormous yet simple chorus “blackbirds fall from the sky/who are we to ask why?” in which the effectiveness really lies in the vocal delivery over the slow open chords, a technique employed to great effect across the album by singer Harriet Bevan. It’s worth noting that Bevan, as a front-woman, is fantastic – reminiscent of Karen O, Alison Mosshart, or Siouxsie Sioux for having that badgirl, rockstar personality with absolutely no bullshit.
Instrumentally Black Moth show immense strength in their hulkish build up/break down approach similar to the likes of Kyuss or Sleep, moving from huge wall-of-sound riffs to open fields of space (see ‘Banished But Blameless’) only to burst back into a thunderstorm with double power. Thrashy blasts are also present for good old fashioned head banging, such as in ‘Spit Out Your Teeth’ which also boasts a deliciously spooky guitar lick and similar lyrics of zombies and such. Bevan’s spoken section is delicious and let’s not forget that avalanche rhythm-section that give each of these songs their true weight and drive.
Personal favourites, hands down, have to go to the two songs that ring so clearly of metal gods Black Sabbath; ‘Plastic Blaze’ and ‘Land of The Sky’. The latter could quite easily be on ‘Paranoid’ or ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ (except that it sounds way bigger than anything on those old relics – kudos to Grinderman’s Jim Sclavunos) and the use of organ behind these insane guitars gleams of rock-gods Deep Purple. Of course, Black Moth also craft their own schizophrenic sound so well in songs such as ‘Honey Lung’ or ‘Plague of Our Age’ that jump from a slow grind to a frantic mosh – as always defined by Bevan’s sinister, predatory attack (‘Chicken Shit’ needs no mention in this respect).
New Heavy Sounds will release ‘The Killing Jar’ on May 7th… If they can keep it under control for that long.
Posted by Jake Murray
