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Released on April 1, 2016 via Jagjaguwar Records
After last year’s 10th anniversary re-issue of their self-titled debut album, Canadians Black Mountain break a six year recording hiatus with the release of their 4th record – suitably titled IV. The critical acclaim of the debut brought attention to the ‘Black Mountain Army’. The name given to their collective with friends/musicians from hometown Vancouver (Although Stephen McBean is now a Los Angeles resident). Various members have explored other forms and genres, Blood Meridan (country/americana), Pink Mountaintops (spiritualised drones/noise experimental soundscapes). Now back to the main (?) band they once again delve into blending classic rock, pysch, and space rock. But every Black Mountain album is never a carbon copy of what they have created before. And this no exception so, it’s good to report there is a slightly altered emphasis, while still retaining what is essentially the Black Mountain sound.
There are a couple of key differences, the first is the reduction of Tony Iommi style riffing than on previous album Wilderness From The Heart, so no surprises then to hear this is a gentler listening experience, which has more emphasis on post Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd textures and proggier aesthetics. And therefore, a noticeable space exits in the sound while synths/keyboards are used more generously.
Another significant and highly successful modification is the extra helping of Amber Webber’s vocals – swoonly hypnotic – either leading or sharing duties with Stephen McBean, which accumulates the ethereal quality to proceedings. Combine this with the aforementioned additional layers, and swathes of synths, this forges a mellower long player with sweeping melodies at its core. Best exemplified in the acoustic, synth led ‘Line Them All Up’, and the drifty, weightless, album closer ‘Space To Bakersfield’. Another key highlight, ‘Cemetery Breeding’, branches out into darker Peter Gabriel pop territory.
But the guitar isn’t confined to the closet because when they do use a riff they have conjured up a gigantic beauty, worthy of its pivotal focal point to hang everything else around it. Just by hearing this opening track alone the break has heaped reward as ‘Mothers Of The Sun’ is a sound of a band refreshed, magnificently epic, and not too premature to proclaim it as a Black Mountain masterpiece.
There are other guitar driven tracks to give the album variety. Like all their previous long players they weave in and out of various styles and influences. ‘Florian Saucer Attack’ drives along in a fine Hawkwind vibe. They veer towards AC/DC to muster a skewered off-kilter ‘Rock n roll singer’ style riff for ‘Constellations’. But they can’t conceal an overall softer ambience and spacey production (in collaboration with Sunn 0))) producer Randall Dunn).
If there are any flaws in the Black Mountain armoury it is, on occasion, they can wear their influenced sleeves too closely to their peers. So, rather than sounding like purveying flag bearers of the pysch/prog rock tradition they sound like mere imitators. They unfortunately do this on ‘Defector’ whose chorus is cherry picked from Pink Floyd’s ‘Young Lust’. But one minor misgiving shouldn’t distract from the many highlights that make up a rather pleasing listening experience.
Black Mountain has returned with an album that has Pink Floyd and King Crimson hovering around their orbit. They also sound lyrically darker, vivid, memorable, albeit uncomfortable, with one-liners like “stuck a needle in my eye” (‘Crucify Me’) or “I was dreaming of suicide” (‘Cemetery Breeding’) that are juxtaposed with a lighter musical touch as if pain and pleasure go hand in hand, to produce a fine return, and that should be welcomed.
