In The Eyes of The Others - Special The Black Angels

The13th AÑO: 4 | NÚMERO 41

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IN THE EYES OF THE OTHERS THE BLACK ANGELS - DEATH SONG (2017)

IN THE EYES OF THE OTHERS

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Today: The Black Angels Death Songs (2017)

The Black Angels – Death Song Label: Partisan Records Release date: 21 de Abril

As we have been doing since previous editions, in this section we have proposed to choose a new album from one of the bands that raises the rod of the Neo Psicodelia, The Black Angels.

For this new installment of "In The Eyes of the Others" we set out to make a survey of the opinions of several personalities of the scene of the neo psychedelia of the world.

So the dynamic was to assign each artist or band an album track so that develop your feelings. And this is the result...

Track 01: Currency

BY Ryan Policky from A Shoreline Dream

First of all I must say the vocals in this track are simply addictive as all get out. Such a huge expansive world they've brought from the first seconds all the way until the track unfurls itself into blissed out noise. It's a true gem from a band that constantly redefines what sound is currently hitting where it needs to. Gives me some real zoney vibes during the breakdowns and mini solos that creep in and swirl in your mind for hours after. Love the slow vibes melted in the pot of sabbathy groove, coupled with the psychedlic jam outs they have always been known for.

A song that goes places you would never expect, dropping the common format for something quite unique. Loving it and find myself listening far too many times... A reborn fan...

Track 02: I’d Kill For Her

BY Clustersun

With its stomping rhythm, fiery guitars, whirling vocals, “I’d Kill For Her” is the perfect psych/trippy anthem. At first it seems to be a classic tale of romantic, death-obsessed doom but, beneath the layers, it reveals the danger of blindly following nationalistic ideals. Catchy hooks and melody cement the song as a candidate for fan favorite: it will surely find its way into the band’s setlist in regular rotation.

BY James Douglas Clarke from The Goa Express

After missing the first day of Liverpool Psych, we arrived on the Saturday, fashionably late to the festival; but perfectly in time for The Black Angels. A stupid door system, set up by the festival bouncers, restricted an easy entry into the venue, winding many people up as they were prevented from entering calmly. Following a very tight squeeze, numerous falling overs and a lot of wasted

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time, we entered the venue to see The Black Angles. Accompanied by a superb light show, a given with Liverpool psych fest, they began. Speaking to Christian, lead guitarist, he told us that the reason the lightshow worked so well was because it was their friend, a known drummer doing it. Therefore, the timings of the songs in correlation with the lights were on point.

Their use of constant and simplistic drum beats, just like in the song “I’d kill for her”, creates a certain intensity and progression to the song that leaves various heads bopping perfectly in time, including mine. As the chorus comes in, powerfully increased from the battle like drum beats, a very “seeds” like fuzzy riff comes in, easily mimicked by the human voice as backing vocals. Again, the simplicity of the lyrics, just like with most features of The Black Angles, leaves a memorable chorus stuck in your head that doesn’t leave until you sleep. After recently moving to Manchester and walking down the populated streets, I’d kill for her, the second track off the album Death song, fits perfectly when racing quickly around. After all, when living in the city, it’s impossible to live slow.

Track 03: Half Believing

BY Daniel Chavis from The Veldt

I always equate The Black Angels to be the voice an outcast Demon lost between Heaven and Hell with a back drop of anguish to set the scene. More Melancholy than usual "Half believing" delivers all of the torment an indecisiveness of being lost in purgatory.

Alex mass's unique voice always penetrates like a lone razor blade to the heart in his hear felt lyrics of betrayal and distrust one of my fave vocalist of this decade, The newest Black Angel's offering as a whole gives it's share of angst in then some like now other in the midst of the Psych rock genre that has swept the Midwest and West coast. One can only hope they keep delivering and growing as such. Thank you Black Angels I’m so glad a band like you is around.

BY Clay Andrews from The Spiral Electric

“Half Believing” This track has a spacey, dreamy feel with an undercurrent of… is it dread? Foreboding? The song itself moves fluidly through changes in intensity, while the vocal floats above the proceedings like a drowning swimmer lost in a tempestuous ocean. As with much of the Black Angels’ work, there is a collective mastery of sonics, and the striking emotional resonance which is the hallmark of great music.

Track 04: Comanche Moon

BY Patrick Casey from 68Creep

With a soft, swirling, dust devil verse juxtaposed against a heavy banger riff of a chorus, “Comanche Moon” succeeds in summoning the ghost of The Cult’s Native American Goth/psych ode “Horse Nation”. The Texans push/pull dynamic works well in this cobweb clearing, standout track. The band also adeptly draws parallels between our modern political climate and the plight of Indigenous Americans with lines like “We trusted with blind ambition. You promised with handshakes and lies.” Though musically heavily indebted to the psych rock of the past, lyrically “Comanche Moon” keeps one foot firmly planted in the present.

BY Alban Hajduk from Junkyard Liberty

Built on a massive and furious riff, the song “Comanche moon” is a real Native American anthem! Switching between the main rocking riff and psychedelic mellow sounds, the song is relatively straightforward but so efficient. The trippy bluesy sound of the guitar during verses turns into massive weapon on chorus, creating a real wall of sound… the voice – full of reverb- take us back to a native tribal ritual as we can imagine…

Actually this is a real protest song, denouncing the damage done to Natives American for centuries -“they’ve stolen the land we’ve been roaming”-, and still relevant with what’s happened at standing rock in North Dakota. Dealing with political issues through the whole album, “Comanche moon” is probably one of the strongest song and moment of these 50 minutes of pure psychedelic drone’n’roll.

Track 05: Hunt Me Down BYSean Laffan from Psychoactive TV

What I feel when i listen to this track is a conformation that The Black Angels are back and back with a sound that we all know and love, that dark driving psychedelic atmosphere they capture so well is in evidence all across this album and this song in particular, great guitars, bass and vocals and that distinctive moving almost tribal percussion that sucks you in and takes you away into another dimention of colour and sound.

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Track 06: Grab As Much As You Can

BY Git Sweeney from This Other Kingdom

This track really grabs you with that hooky bassline. The song overall has got that Black Angels sound we all love. Shimmering guitars and dark drums. There’s something really eerie about this track that I love and the outro is fantastic. Really great tune to chill out to and definitely one of my favourites on the album.

BY Sophia Lacroix Landers from Black Doldrums

This tune drags us into the acid laced world of The Black Angels once again using their classic bass heavy, tom heavy rhythm section. Throw in reverb guitars, spacey vocals and you’ve got a recipe for your typical Black Angels track. This track just grooves along nicely.

Track 07: Estimate

BY Kevin J. Moriarty Gibbard from Black Doldrums

A slight departure from their usual sound, we are introduced to a perhaps more thoughtful and cinematic sound. With a sound that mirrors the work of Ennio Morricone, this song instantly works in a visual sense by shuffling along, building suspense and creating images of dusty trails and wide open American spaces. A true head bender.

Track 08: I Dreamt

BY Lee Stevens from The Swagger

This song reminds me of the 60's psychedelic era and The Doors of our generation with elements of Tame Impala heading into modern dream. The song itself is well produced & well written and is highly recommended a listen.

Track 09: Medicine

BY Dandy Lee Strickland from reverends

The song came on and I thought it was something else but now I get it. It’s a little more intense than what I was dug-in for. How are you feeling? Nudge I’ve been staring at the back of my retinas for a minute and a half now. What’s the track called? Medicine? God remember when the Black Angels did that APF and THE BAND Medicine played? I think they were the best band that time. Maybe notbut I remember that guy in front handing me things turned out to be Fellows. Makes sense.

Wow there’s a lot going on I have to revisit. Play it again.................

I think he’s singing about playing chess. Yes he’s definitely singing the Book of Genesis. Hey man can you play it one more time....I’m asking for a friend.

Track 10: Death March

BY Le Crowley from Astral Elevator

In ‘Death March’ we have a dark and moody track, as you’d expect from the title, which is executed with a style that only The Black Angels could create and get away with. The menacing drum beat is ever present add a bold bass line, evocative lyrics and effected guitar and it makes for a heady concoction. This is one to listen to several times so you can appreciate the finer intricacies; the arpeggio bridge, the lyrical content and the groove deeply engrained throughout. No one does darkness quite like The Black Angels.

BY Nameless

An expansive march beat, supported by a bright bass guitar part, awakens the listener to grim Gothic fantasies.

Otherworldly sonorous vocals with McManus' trademark grace notes and vibrations bring something that seemingly attracts us and then distances us from the frightening images of this song. The depth and spaciousness of the sound, as well as the atmosphere, is woven together from the flutter of vibrations. 'Death March' comes closer to us, along with McManus' strengthening and growing emotional singing and leaves us with a feeling of despair and impotence. This is gothic psychedelia.

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Track 11: Life Song

BY Oliver Overton from My Little Underground TV

“Life Song is for me one of the highlights on the album; maybe that’s just because I’m a sucker for a ballad end of album! However, the song is there to evoke emotions within the listener and is written from a personal place. Which is clear from the vocals, as you can start to hear a strain in Alex Mass’ voice which you don’t hear in the other songs on the album. However, I believe that music is a personal thing and the same song can mean evoke a range of feelings to lots of different people; as Bob Dylan said “the meaning of the text is in the hands of the audience”. And the title of the song completely reiterates this idea - “Life Song” - it’s open to anything!

It’s easy to feel that this song is about a relationship/break up. However, for me I feel that the narrator of the lyrics is me...talking to myself (which I think is same as The Black Angels meaning). I relate to the lyrics so much, as it is vocalising everything that is happening to me in the present time. As I know completely what it is I want to achieve but at the same time I am lost and lonely - “Floating through the darkness / Awaiting on Transmission / Drifting on the mission alone”.

The next verse goes along with everything I’ve been feeling and doing for the past few years, putting all my effort into my passion but not seeing it happen - “Streaming through creation / Trying to catch a laughter / Blinded by the darkness / …. Six trillion miles away, dear / The evening follows me //.

Then the rest of the song continues with “How can I explain / With no voice”. Now these lines really speak to me the most, as that has been a constant feeling throughout my entire life, not being able to explain my true feelings to anyone and those lyrics make this song evoke so much emotion within me.

But the last line of the song gives me hope - “I owe you, I’ll see you on the other side”. And at the end of what has been a very emotional, personal song for me, that last line is so uplifting as it’s telling me not to worry or regret anything in your past, as they’re the things that will make you achieve what you set out to create in your life.” .

Track 12: Hope This Is What You’re Looking For

By Don Jam from Politburo

Inviting comparisons to David Bowie’s Space Oddity and Pink Floyd’s ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, this mournful number sees The Black Angels grappling with the ineffable; the themes of correspondence, space, distance and the suffering that comes with enlightenment. Minor chords break up the flow of the piece, resulting in sudden lurches into uncertain territory. Surely a design feature, rather than a bug. The song holds a pleasingly epic vibe with a good deal of aplomb, though it is resolute in its efforts to ensure that we don’t touch the spheres of euphoria, that certain other songs of its ilk strain and often fail to reach. For me, this is an important point: should we try and approach the ‘Godhead’ in art/

music? The price for failure is often derision. Is it perhaps better to lament one’s limitations in a pleasingly moving fashion? I would say not, though I can fully sympathise with those who choose the path of least resistance. The sentiments expressed in Life Song indicate a certain defeat. If we are to be thorough participants in the psychedelic realm, we can only be satisfied if, as Terence McKenna said, one “can actually bring home something that is food, food for the human community that we can sustain ourselves on and go forward.” At any rate, a thought provoking song."

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