Release
date: September 01st 2015. Label: Pink Tank Records. Formats:
DD/Vinyl
Beyond
The Swamp: Tracklisting
1.Odescent
06:27
2.Throne
of Skulls 04:43
3.Drink
Up 02:28
4.666-Pack
04:24
5.43
04:42
6.Jolly
Green Giants 07:26
7.Iron
Cobra 04:00
8.Interlude
02:43
9.Killing
Yourself To Live 06:02
10.Crooked
Edge 05:39
11.Mountain
06:24
12.The
Barbarian 05:31
Band
Members:
Nick
Koeth - Rhythm Guitar, Lead Singer
Bryan
Masterson - Bass
Andy
Johnson - Drums
Review:
BlackWater’s
debut album – Beyond The Swamp – is a murky psychedelic wonder of
noisy grunge laiden Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs with the band
creating one of the most fuzzed up and hugely enjoyable experiences
you will hear in a long time. BlackWater have created an album packed
full of riffs that you can listen to this over and over again without
ever being bored.
Opening
track – Odescent – is an instrumental psych stoner metal track
with the band giving you a brief glimpse on what to expect. Fuzzy
lo-fi psych doomy riffs played against a harder metal background. The
song crackles with excitement as BlackWater blend different sounds
for a refreshing style of Stoner Metal. The drumming is perhaps the
best thing about this song with the riffs being built around Andy's
superb drumming.
Second
track – Throne Of Skulls – opens with a lo-fi grungy doom/stoner
metal that fans of Wo Fat will enjoy. As this song has that
swampedelic attitude that Wo Fat are masters of. The vocals are
clean, grizzled and one that has a twinge of NOLA style theatrics to
them. It’s a heavy and almost volatile sound with BlackWater
venturing into the world of Psychedelia. The riffs are fast-paced
through out and it takes the listener for an exciting ride.
Third
track – Drink Up – is more of a bass heavy bluesy stoner rock
affair that gives BlackWater the chance to party and have some fun.
It’s quite a simple track compared to the other songs on the album
but it still has a lot of great riffs for you to rock out to
especially if you dig Motorhead.
Fourth
track – 666-Pack – Yeah, I know, great title. It’s a full on
Stoner Metal riff-fest with BlackWater adding a doomier vibe near the
middle of the song as the riffs become slightly creepier, heavier and
very trippy. You have to admire BlackWater’s talent for changing
the entire mood of the album at any second as they do on this song.
The production may hamper the riffs from time to time but BlackWater
overcome that with impressive guitar solos, drumming and bleak
vocals.
Fifth
track – 43 – sees band opt for a direct approach where the music
is concerned as BlackWater combine blues rock, stoner, prog rock and
elements of classic 70s stadium rock for one of the albums standout
tracks. It’s purely instrumental so you can sit back and relax with
the heavy riffage being played on your speakers. The dual guitars
offer something different on the album and the song can be very loud
at times.
Sixth
track – Jolly Green Giants – is my fave track on the album as
it’s where BlackWater impressed me the most with their crazed and
distorted style of stoner metal madness. It’s purely instrumental
for the first few minutes before the vocals come into play. Blues,
Stoner, Psych, Doom and Distorted Fuzz combine for the albums longest
tracks at 7:30 mins. It’s quite progressive at times as BlackWater
don’t settle for one set sound but a mix of different genres that
any serious Hard Rock/Metal fan will admire.
I’m
not going to review the 2nd half of the album as there are 6 more
tracks for BlackWater to impress you with. Other tracks to check out
are: Iron Cobra, Crooked Edge and The Barbarian are the main
standouts on the 2nd half of the album with BlackWater creating even
more crazed, trippy stoner metal anthems for you to enjoy. There is
one track – Interlude - that I thought was nothing but album filler
but it’s an almost dream-like sonic, trippy progressive rock
odyssey that I couldn’t get enough of. I was disappointed that it
ended as I could have listened to the band playing this style of
music all day.
The
only downside of the album is the production on the album can be hit
and miss at times. Most of the times it sounds superb but there are a
few moments where the sound could of done with more volume towards
the end of the album. Other than that, Beyond The Swamp is an
excellent album that you’ll find very hard to resist. BlackWater is
a band who demands your attention. Check this album out now.
Words
by Steve Howe
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