Black Helium - The Animals Are Coming (Album Review)

Release Date: June 20th 2025. Record Label: Riot Season Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

The Animals Are Coming - Tracklisting

1.Return The Curse 2.Saviour Destroyer 3.Worm Vision 4.They Have Bodies 5.Up On A Hill 6.Inside The Horror Mask 

Members

Stuart Gray (vocals, guitar)

Beck Harvey (bass, vocals)

Diogo Gomes (drums)

Review

Psych Rockers Black Helium return with their fourth record The Animals Are Coming which allows each band member's creative personality to fully shine through which gives this record a more daring “fast and loose” approach compared to their previous albums. There’s more focus on SONIC experimentation from Black Helium as they embrace a heavier, dynamic and self-contained sound that allows this to become their most accessible and riff dominated record to date.

However, Black Helium still excels by playing warped Space Rock movements and extended progressive melodies which adds a heavier style of distorted warped energy through that monolithic “JAZZ” energy that’s a constant driving force for the whole album. With echoes of classic KrautRock, Glitched based noises and a serious Droned Rock attitude forming within the stunning opening track of Return The Curse which lasts over eleven minutes as Black Helium aim for NIGHTMARISH rock and roll excess.

The vocals from Stuart Gray and Beck Harvey once again offer a quality entrance into the band’s surreal and fearless instrumental passages with the distorted surroundings being quite nightmarish, fearless and highly original when the standard grooves appear.

Second track Saviour Destroyer adds a Post-Doom and Psych Rock attitude with Noise Rock arrogance which is matched against a classic Space Rock flavour. The music starts off quite slowly with a TOPSY-TURVY delivery before expanding into slices of Sixties based Psychedelic and Freakish environments that also transforms into areas of Heavy Sludge Rock.

Black Helium channel the likes of Hawkwind and Monster Magnet on the next few tracks but also showing their love and affection for bands from the legendary KrautRock scenes with a dash of Japanese based Freakouts that remains a constant and evolving part of the album to impress long time fans of the band.

Third track Worm Vision sees Black Helium play a subtle Post-Rock style delivery with that elevated Psych Rok attitude that soon aligns the record to a richer, fuller and subtle Space Rock atmosphere. The JAZZY effects are quite sullen with a slow-paced melody forming against the trippy noises, synths, glitches and other wonderfully weird sound effects. 

Black Helium add an experimental Electronica vibe to their music which appears within the subdued fourth track They Have Bodies which has small amounts of intricate Proto-Doom appearing mainly thanks to the expert drumming of Diogo Gomes. Beck Harvey (Bass) and Stuart Gray (Guitar) allow Diogo to conjure up black holes into another world with Beck’s dominant bass rhythms and Stuart’s epic progressive riffs being quite heavy and remotely quiet at the same time.

The final two tracks of Up On A Hill and Inside The Horror Mask is where the old school and real magic happens with Black Helium embracing their new found reflective sound which is matched against their old-school Sludge/Stoner Rock roots. Up On A Hill is cool and welcoming for the first half before the second half becomes chaotic, aggressive with a brooding attitude forming. 

Inside The Horror Mask is a ten minute plus track where Black Helium entice and deceive  listeners in highly dramatic fashion with that highly melodic Post-Rock/Post-Stoner style transforming into a heavier style of freaky HEAVY METAL which is where the band excels and impresses the most.

The Animals Are Coming is another expertly played and brilliantly produced record from Black Helium that once again solidifies their reputation as one of the true original Heavy Psych Rock bands the UK underground has to offer. With stunning production values that offers a warped and fractured SONIC experience that fully rewards Black Helium of completely being in a league of their own making. 

Outstanding. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Black Helium and Riot Season Records for the promo.

The Animals Are Coming is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Riot Season Records

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Black Helium - UM (Album Review)

Release Date: March 03rd 2023. Record Label: Riot Season Records. Formats: CD/DD/VInyl

Um: Tracklisting

Another Heaven

I Saw God

Dungeon Head

Summer Of Hair

The Keys To Red Skeleton's House (I Open The Door)

Members

Stuart Gray - Guitar/Vocals

Beck Harvey - Bass/Vocals

Diogo Gomes (Drums)

Review

Psych Stoner Rockers Black Helium with their third full length album Um and it sees this hugely talented Power Trio venture into darker areas of Space Rock, Sludge Rock and a healthy dose of Drone Rock. The music continues Black Helium's love affair with extended Psychedelic passages and Spaced Out vortexes which all manifest into Extended Freaky Guitar Jamming sessions and jazzy drumming throughout the album.

Opening song Another Heaven is full of glitches, Ambient Noises and Krautrock Sonic sounds with Black Helium creating Psych Stoner Rock jams around this weird and wonderful sound. Inspired by the freakedelic Psych/Space Rock Movement from the 1960's and 1970s with a thrilling modern day Drone/Sludge Rock undergroove appearing. The vocals have a Drone/Space Rock feel to them with effective lyrics setting up an almost trans-dimensional feel. The song truly comes its own original "thing" when Black Helium move to a heavier and muscular style of Sludgy based sound with small flashes of Sonic Experimentation.

Second song I Saw God goes full-on Psychedelic Paranoia with bold creative statements happening with the lyrics. The song feels it was written to be thought-provoking in places with the song touching upon individuals being in personal contact with the almighty himself through the power of LSD. Though, I could be reading too much into the lyrical content despite my atheist beliefs. The music however is structured beautifully with Black Helium blending melodic grooves with a free-flowing Krautrock/Stoner hybrid sound that once again has a Jazzy and Classic Psych Rock flow to it all. Flirting between hopeful 1960's Psych/Power-Pop grooves and the darker WEEDIAN sounds that remain quietly confident in the background when Black Helium need to call upon a heavier style of music. 

Third song Dungeon Head is more of an experimental interlude with solitary drums and lush moments of gloomy Psychedelic sounds. More Ambient driven but still an interesting style of music with the vocals being quite solitary and distinctive. Black Helium use the two and half minutes run time to their advantage and bring a more emotional style of "Weirdo Rock" to a satisfactory conclusion.

Fourth song Summer Of Hair is another slice of fantastical Psych/Stoner/Krautrock exploration into the darker depths of the music levels they create and play here. More Drone based with Electronica beats working surprisingly well. This song is perhaps the most "riff-centric" out of the whole album and perhaps with the fastest creative flow. As Black Helium slowly built up their ARSENAL of different Psych/Space Rock sounds for a more aggressive style of music that easily encompasses the last 40 years of the UK Hard Rock scene to the band's creative advantage. 

Firth song The Keys To Red Skeleton's House (I Open The Door) is a mind-expanding fifteen minutes plus epic where Black Helium include everything but the kitchen sink for this album. It's easily their most ambitious track yet with the band fully getting into the Prog Rock world. Black Helium play strands of Psych Rock and Stoner Rock with the swirling Space Rock rhythms allowing Black Helium to generate a more Doom based feeling to the album. There's a lot to take in with this song but it remains the album's standout track and perhaps the best song the band have written to date. The song's best moments are the sullen Ambient Noises and the laid-back sounds turning into heavier slabs of Hard Rock/Metal. The song also features great vocal performances from both Beck and Stuart with a thunderous drumming performance courtesy of Diogo.

Um is quite a different record from Black Helium and feels tonally different from their previous releases. With first rate production values, Black Helium have offered the Stoner Rock world their best and perhaps craziest release to date. This allows Black Helium to be one of the best Psychedelic Rock bands the UK underground scene has to offer. It's great to see Black Helium teaming up with Riot Season Records once again. 

Um is a huge sounding album and Black Helium deserves to gain a wider audience with this album. Simply unmissable entertainment from start to finish.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Black Helium and Riot Season Records for the promo.

UM will be available to buy on CD/DD/VInyl via Riot Season Records from March 03rd 2023

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Black Helium - The Wholly Other (Album Review)

Release date: July 24th 2020. Label: Riot Season Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Wholly Other – Tracklisting

1. Hippie On A Slab 07:12
2.Two Masters 05:05
3.Death Station Of The Goddess 10:03
4.One Way Trip 05:02
5.Pink Bolt 10:27
6.Teetering On The Edge 04:03

Members

Beck Harvey: Bass/Vocals
Stuart Gray: Guitar/Vocals
Davey Mulka: Guitar Vocals
Diogo Gomez: Drums

Review

Black Helium return with their new album The Wholly Other which follows their blistering debut album Primitive Fuck back in 2018. The band impressed me with their crazy and unique free-form style of wild sounding Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, Noise Rock and Doomed Out Theatrics which was quite original in places. Well, the band return with a more focused, demented and heavier new offering that’s vastly different to their debut album.

Opening song – Hippie On A Slab – offers a Psychedelic and Hallucinogenic nightmare of Psych Rock, Doom Metal and Stoner Rock with a gloomy Noise Rock focus that allows the band to fully get into their stride at the earliest opportunity. This song reminds me of Japanese Avant-Garde Legends BORIS with their crazed style of music embracing many different styles of music. Black Helium offer a similar style of music here with frantic guitars, intense drumming and superb vocals that all make a for a wickedly entertaining dark ride.

Second song – Two Masters – opens with an eerie 60's sounding style of music before moving right on into the 70's with another slice of hap-hazard style of Psychedelic Rock that airs on the right caution of Doom/Stoner Rock with Black Helium adding a grizzled Heavy Metal attitude to this song. The dual vocals are excellent offering a more layered approach but the music is what impresses the most with Black Helium not only throwing the rulebook out of the window but re-writing at the same time.

Third song – Death Station Of The Goddess – starts with vocals that wouldn’t go amiss from the legendary “Madchester” scene. You’ll know when you hear it. Slow based chants and riffs soon take a step back in time with a 1960’s sounding atmosphere that allows Black Helium much needed time and space to change the whole tone and direction of this song. It’s very cool to hear as the band build up to a fine heavy rhythm where all hell breaks loose with heavy Psychedelic Rock riffs finally taking over. Though, it’s the journey and evolution of this song that make this perhaps the standout song on the album.

Three songs down and three to go with Black Helium going into even more crazed Psychedelic Rock territory with another 10 minute plus song to fry your fragile little minds with. Pink Bolt is another standout track on the album for Black Helium to change your musical perspective with sonic experimentation being layered against Heavy Doom/Stoner Rock with a slightly distorted approach that the band are absolute masters at.

The Wholly Other is a different sounding album to Primitive Fuck and it’s good to see Black Helium not afraid to try something new whilst remaining true to the spirit of their debut album. I think this is a much better album and I loved their debut record. This is a much braver, bolder, darker and daring album that puts Black Helium firmly on the map to becoming one of the best Psychedelic Rock bands the UK has to offer at the moment.

It’s good to see Black Helium continue their relationship with Riot Season Records who are releasing a string of great albums this year. Though, this is Black Helium’s show and it’s time for folks to get with the program and check out this great album and band out now...

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Black Helium for the promo. The Wholly Other will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Riot Season Records from July 24th 2020.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Video Premiere Of BLACK HELIUM New Video - Summer Spells

Release date: July 27th 2018. Label: Riot Season Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Primitive Fuck – Tracklisting

1.Drowsey Shores 05:25

2.Love The Drugs You Make Me Feel Like I'm On 05:39

3.Wicked Witch 05:48

4.Summer Spells 05:37

5.Videodrone 02:18

6.Curtains At The Mausoleum 09:11

7.Do You Wanna Come Out Tonight? 03:24

8.Primitive Fuck 06:33

Members

Stuart Gray (vocals/guitar)

Beck Harvey (vocals/bass)

Davey Mulka (guitar)

Ben Davies (drums)

The Lowdown

Not only have UK Psychedelic Doom/Drone/Stoner Rockers Black Helium released their epic new album Primitive Fuck today. They have also let us premiere the blistering new video for Sunny Spells. One of my favourite songs off the new album which is being released today via the excellent record label Riot Season Records.

You can read my review here:

You can buy Black Helium on CD/DD/Vinyl from Riot Season BigCartel Page and Black Helium BandCamp Page now.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Black Helium - Primitive Fuck (Album Review)

Release date: July 20th 2018. Label: Riot Season Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Primitive Fuck – Tracklisting

1.Drowsy Shores

2.Love The Drugs

3.Wicked Witch

4.Summer Spells

5.Videodrone

6.Curtains At The Mausoleum

7.Do You Wanna Come Out Tonight?

8.Primitive Fuck

Members

Stuart Gray (vocals/guitar)

Beck Harvey (vocals/bass)

Davey Mulka (guitar)

Ben Davies (drums)

Review

Black Helium is a band that is very hard to describe. Their debut album – Primitive Fuck - has many complex sounding riffs that blend Stoner Rock, Drone, Doom, Psych, Noise and even Krautrock for a different style of music. I was quite anxious to listening to the album as the short video trailer that accompanied the press release confused me more than it should. As it showed that Black Helium would be playing a highly experimental style of Drone/Stoner/Doom music.

I shouldn't have worried as the band is currently signed to Riot Season Records and that great label are experts at signing genuinely weird underground bands who deserve wider recognition. Bad Guys and Henry Blacker are just two bands I wouldn't be aware of without Riot Season Records help. I have to thank them here as Black Helium is a breath of fresh air to the Hard Rock/Heavy Music scene.

The only way I can describe this album is Black Sabbath jamming with Hawkwind but then given a Krautrock makeover. Each of the songs allows Black Helium's music to grow naturally. The album is undeniably heavy and shows huge amounts of originality especially when the band opt for a traditional Doom/Stoner Rock sound.

The opening two songs - Drowsy Shores and Love The Drugs - feel they come from two different bands. As they sound quite different to each other. Drowsy Shores is a drone/krautrock odyssey whilst Love The Drugs is more of a seventies Psychedelic Doom Sabbathian Affair. These two songs show the listener what to expect on this album and this is to EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

Other songs such as Wicked Witch, Summer Spells, Curtains At The Mausoleum and Primitive Fuck offer perhaps the heaviest and craziest sounds on the album. The vocals are quite different as well. Some of the songs have traditional style vocal arrangements. However other parts of the album sees Black Helium opt for a more experimental style of vocals. This shouldn't really work. However to Black Helium's credit they excel creating something out of the ordinary and as a result, the album becomes a more well-rounded experience because of this.

The production is superb from the start. As the album sounds strangely weird and dangerously hypnotic at the same time. The instrumental work can be quite hard to follow at first. However multiple listens will soon rectify that issue. Primitive Fuck is not your most straightforward Heavy Rock album. However it doesn't need to be.

As Black Helium are creating a new style of Doom/Stoner Rock. The album is highly experimental but there is a lot of hidden delights and surprises that will impress the most jaded of Doom/Stoner Rock fan. This album is a triumph and proves that Black Helium deserve all the plaudits coming their way.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Riot Season Records for the promo. Primitive Fuck will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Riot Season Records from July 20th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp