Black Mountain - In the Future
A couple weeks ago I mentioned this record as one of the exciting new releases to check out and I promised to talk a little more about it at some point. Seeing as how I've had it in pretty solid rotation ever since first hearing it, now seems like a great time to dig a little deeper into one of the first great rock albums of 2008. And by rock, I very much mean just that - this is bone-crunching, gritty, psychedelic ROCK music in the best possible sense. These five Canadians combine the influences of bands like Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Hawkwind into a compelling mix that defies easy categorization and avoids the traps that more slavish devotees of said bands most often fall into.
The album kicks off with the fantastic "Stormy High", a riff-roaring slab of heaviness that sets the tone for what is to follow over the course of the album. The ethereal vocals of Amber Webber and the psychedelic mellotron (both of which play important roles throughout In the Future) play off the monster guitar riffs, giving the track an otherworldly feel. But it is the third track, "Tyrants", that really gives you a taste of how awesome this band is. The first part takes you on a swirling, cosmic acid trip before rudely yanking you back to earth with an absolutely crushing riff. Listening to the band shift gears so suddenly and so effectively is an absolute treat. "Wucan" and "Stay Free" take us on a stoner's odyssey through the Led Zeppelin catalog, emphasizing the plodding riffery of "Kashmir" on the former and the acoustic folk of III on the latter. "Evil Ways" is another instant classic, turning Black Mountain into a long-lost, shambling garage band with one absolutely huge organ sound. It provides for a nice blast of adrenaline following the proggy workout of "Queens Will Play" and sets things up nicely for the electric-folk mini-suite of "Wild Wind", itself serving as one final breath of fresh air before the centerpiece and high watermark of the album - "Bright Lights". "Lights" is a seventeen minute trance-rock odyssey that twists and turns through the jammiest parts of Hawkwind, The Dead, and Yes - all shimmering keys, fuzzy guitars, and acid imagery without sliding into the self-indulgent excesses that plagued each of those bands at one time or another. When that monster riff drops and is quickly followed by those evil organ stabs just after the four minute mark, prepare to have your mind blown without the need for illegal substances. It's such an intense trip that the album's last track, "Night Walks", is an absolute necessity to bring you back down to earth gently.
I think the greatest testament to the strength of this album is the simple fact that I've had a new favorite track nearly every time I queue it up. Right now I'm back to "Bright Lights", but last week it was "Wucan" and shortly before that "Evil Ways" and "Stormy High" were battling for that honor. I'm fully expecting this to be one of my favorite rock albums of the year, it'll be really difficult for another band to even approach, let alone maintain, the level of consistency and intensity required to best this beast. Below are a couple more tunes meant to goad you into buying the damn thing and experiencing it for yourself.
Black Mountain - "Wucan" (taken from In the Future)
Black Mountain - "Evil Ways" (taken from In the Future)
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