Album
Type:
Album
Date
Released:
April 18th 2015
Label:
Riot Season Records
Summer
Tombs – Track Listing
1. Cold Laking
2. Million Acre Fire
3. Shit Magus
4. The Grain
5. Landlubber
6. A Plague
7. Summer Tombs
Band
Members
T (bass)
RF (drums)
TF (guitar &
voice)
Review:
14
months after releasing their debut album - Hungry Dogs Will Eat Dirty Puddings - to critical acclaim - Noisy Heavy Rockers - Henry Blacker
- return with their eagerly awaited follow up - Summer Tombs. Nothing
much has changed from their celebrated debut album as Henry Blacker
is still the same noisy and raucous Stoner/Sludge/Dirty Blues Rockers
with a passion for the distorted riff. Opening track - Cold Liking -
is a snarling ugly beast of a track with the band in fine form
playing dirty fast paced riffs.
Fans
of QOTSA will find much to enjoy here and even a time to reminisce
when QOTSA were the kings of dirty lo-fi Stoner Grooves. Henry
Blacker have taken that sound and made it their own with an
underlying Punk/Noise Rock vibe that only enhances their great sound.
The clean based vocals have a distinctive dark tone to them as once
the band get going Lead Vocalist - TF - shows his true menacing
identity. There's a lot more going on within Henry Blacker that's
very hard to describe. Parts Stoner, Noise, Sludge, Punk and Hard
Rock for one strangely addictive sound. Probably why they are signed
to ace UK Record Label - Riot Season Records - who have a reputation
for signing the weirder bands of Stoner/Noise/Sludge Rock.
Anyway
back to the album. Summer Tombs runs for a brisk 29 mins and it means
that the band have a short space of time to impress you with. It's a
good job they succeed on all counts. By the time second track -
Million Acre Fire - starts you're already rocking out with Henry
Blacker as these guys know how to have fun. The fast-paced distorted
noisy tempo doesn’t really change that much as this song has the
perfect balance of loud vs. quiet riffs. When Henry Blacker turns
their attention to Psychedelic Rock this album takes a life of its
own.
The
album has a schizophrenic feel as it doesn't know what it wants to be
and that's the beauty of the album. It's an uncompromising blend of
experimental rock where NOISE is the key. It's just so damn addictive
that's impossible not to fully enjoy yourself. Third track - Shot
Magus - sees the band more colourful humour come to life as they
write some interesting lyrics to match the more violent riffs. One
moment this song is blasting intense Sludge Rock vibes and the next
it changes into good old fashioned noisy Desert/Stoner Rock riffs.
Though Henry Blacker return to their more volatile punk/sludge rock
guises.
If
you're a fan of Torche then Henry Blacker will appeal to you as they
share a few similarities with that band. Mainly writing short paced
heavy blasts of angry Sludge Rock songs that will get you jumping and
singing along to their lyrics. Plus Henry Blacker has the same talent
of Torche of turning a quiet paced song into an all out loud
sludge-tastic riot. Check out 4th track - The Grain - for more
evidence of this as the band once again expertly blend quieter rock
moments with the heavier Sludge/Stoner Rock riffs. Maybe I've
shouldn't be providing a track-by-track commentary as this album is
just one blistering exercise in volume and noise that a lot of you
are going to crazy about.
Summer
Tombs is full of great ideas that Henry Blacker explore to their full
potential. if you want NOISE, RIFFS and MAXIMUM SLUDGE ROCK CARNAGE
then Henry Blacker will welcome you with open arms. The last parts of
the album and especially the vocals have a certain Josh Homme
sensibility to them and that's no bad thing. The vocals courtesy of
TF are superb through out. Though he impresses the most on the final
two tracks - A Plague and Summer Tombs.
Summer
Tombs is a 7 minute epic where Henry Blacker unleashes one final slab
of heavy Sludge Rock punishment. This song has a more caustic
approach compared to the others but it's still the standout track on
the album as it has a few dark moments to unsettle you with. Like the
lyrics on Summer Tombs repeatedly tell us - I Thought We Have More
Time - I wish we did as well Henry Blacker as even though I love your
album. Just one more song would have been fantastic. Summer Tombs is
an absolute blast from start to finish. It's even a better album than
their debut album. Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Thanks
to Andy at Riot Season Records for the promo. Summer Tombs will be
available to buy on CD/DD from Riot Season Records from April 2015.
There is a Vinyl Edition coming out but this is a UK Record Store Day
Vinyl Exclusive Only. Limited to 300 copies. Any copies that remain
unsold will be sent back to Riot Season Records and sold from their
website.
Words
by Steve Howe
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