Release
date: 23rd
February 2018. Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Sinister
Sides – Tracklisting
1. Gate of Sorrow
2. Sinister Sides
3. Waiting on
Tomorrow
4. Dead to the World
5. Blind to Fate
6. The Tempest
7. Sunshine of Your
Love (Cream cover)
8. Battle Line
Members
Alex Cunningham
Pete Holmes
Scott Peterson
Dave Pankenier
Review
Greetings
All,
This February, Oakland,
California’s Blackwülf will be dropping their 3rd full
length Sinister Sides via the great Ripple Music. Sinister Sides
brings the classic styled fuzzed out stoner rock we all know and
love, with a nice smattering of gloom and doom for all to dig on. In
listening to Blackwülf I was reminded of tons of great bands across
a couple of different genres.
There is a definite
influence of the fuzzed out rock of Kyuss and Fu Manchu. A definite
classic rock vibe, with a definite nod to Sabbath. Some
Pentagram-like inspired doom, and even a touch of Mudhoney brand
garage/grunge.
The 4 guys in Blackwülf
are excellent musicians and the album is tight and inspired. The
vocals are a real stand out. The stoner vibe of John Garcia are heavy
with these fellas. Each of the eight tracks on Sinister Sides is
stellar. Each song stands out on its own, but the songs also form a
cohesive, immensely listenable record.
The album opens with
feedback and distorted bass tones of Gate of Sorrow. It is a
rocking song with a slower doom inspired tempo that gives way to
heavy guitars and quicker tempo at the end. The title track, Sinister
Sides follows. It picks up the pace significantly from the opener
right of the bat. Heavy, fuzzed out guitars and a driving beat push
the darker subject matter of this ripper. Waiting on Tomorrow is
a power ballad in the absolute best sense of the words.
It is a slower,
acoustic driven track that showcases the killer vocals on the record.
Dead to the World is another ripper that unleashes critical,
politically driven subject matter. A bit of new millennium War Pigs.
Blind to Fate follows next. Musically, this may be the most
Sabbath style track on the album. It is Doomy, with a heavy wah style
that is reminiscent of the groove oriented style of Sabbath. I am not
an authority on Shakespeare, but I believe The Tempest may
just be inspired by the bard himself. The dark, water based imagery
of the song swallows the listener. The song’s heavy, plodding into
gives away to another killer, fuzzed out jam.
Sunshine of Your
Love is a straight forward cover of the Cream classic. The band
plays it perfectly. It is an admirable salute to the band and the
genre. The album closes with Battle Line. This is a killer
track that closes the album perfectly. The song rocks hard throughout
closing with some wicked guitars and heavy percussion.
Although this is their
third album, I am new to Blackwülf. But I am damn glad to have found
them. Sinister Sides is a tremendous album. If you dig Stoner, Doom,
Garage, or even Classic Rock there is something for you to love on
this ripper. Do yourself a big favor and track them down, grab all
their records, like I will and Dig on Blackwülf!
Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou
Words by Todd Stealey
Thanks to Carl at
Action PR and Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Sinister
Sides will be released on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from February
23rd 2018.
Links:
