Release Date: February 02nd 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Impending Bloom: Tracklisting
1The Air at Night smells different 05:23
2.Fog Works 05:44
3.Impending Bloom 07:00
4.A new-found Calm 05:09
5.The Language of Rocks and Roots 05:53
6.Array of Lights 04:23
Members
Philipp Seiler - Guitars
Stephan Leeb - Electric Standup Bass
Marian Waibl - Drums
Florian Karg - Guitars, Keyboards
Review
Instrumental Doom/Post-Rock collective Black Air debut album Impending Bloom is quite a confident affair with the band exploring the different avenues within the Instrumental Rock arena. Black Air bring a more Jazz influenced sound to the mix with their Ambient Post-Rock themes which has traces of twisted Psychedelic Rock.
The album can be considered “Experimental” in places with Black Air merging mellower Post-Rock sounds with the heavier and more threatening Doom Rock grooves that are never too far behind. The music is quite “Abstract” especially on the excellent two opening two tracks with The Air At Night Smells Different and Fog Works. Dreamlike textures truly come alive on the clever use of Keyboards, Organs and Synths.
People expecting Black Air to move into Post-Metal territory maybe disappointed as this album remains firmly a Doom Rock/Post-Rock album but still loaded with a fine amount of heavy sounds of their own. Black Air can be purposely slow in places which allows the band time to create a more realistic and solitary sound that fully comes into focus on tracks such as Impending Bloom and A New Found Calm. I even detected a small trace of 1970’s Prog Rock lurking the midst that gives Black Air more depth to their music.
The instrumental work is first rate with the music always being righteous and melodic even when the sound becomes ever more heavier and aggressive.
Impending Bloom is an impressive debut release from Black Air and one that is packed full of fantastic Post-Rock sounds from start to finish.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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